Warriors: A Fragmented Hope Turn 1: Umbral Faith
by Geasswolf
Summary: The chill of leaf-bare has struck the Clans, every cat trying their best to survive. Sickness, hunger, and loss all are common during times like this, but now a new issue has arisen: a newly lost connection to StarClan. A new group of Clan-born heroes will arise to try and alleviate the hardships the Clans are facing, but can they do it alone?
1. Chapter 1

Warriors: A Fragmented Hope: Turn 1: Umbral Faith

Chapter 1

_The cool Greenleaf breeze_ blew through the forest, leaf-bare clearly on the horizon in a few moons. Near the warriors' den, Foxkit sat in front of his mother, Ivypool, the she-cat carefully grooming his fur.

"Mother, really, I think I'm good." He assured her as he withstood another lick to his head.

"I want you and your sister looking your best today. You're both finally becoming apprentices!" She meowed with joy. "How's Swiftkit looking?"

"I'm trying my best. What do you think, Ivypool?" Lelouch asked, stepping away from his daughter. Her fur was still unkempt.

"Can you please help dad, mom?" The kit begged.

"For how smart he is, he can't do simple things sometimes." The she-cat said with a sigh, walking over to her daughter.

"Sorry. I think I'm just a bit skittish today." The violet-eyed tom apologized.

"You're not the one going up there and getting your apprentice name, you know." The silver-and-white tabby meowed with a laugh before grooming her daughter. "But, it's cute seeing you like this, Lelouch."

"Okay, okay, you and dad can talk later. Can you go a bit faster, mom?" Swiftkit begged, eager to finally receive her apprentice name. "Aren't you excited, Foxkit?"

"Why wouldn't I be? We can finally go out and help the Clan. I do think I'm nervous, though."

"Don't be. Your mother groomed you well, and you're my son, after all." Lelouch said, letting out a smile.

"Well, that's partly why. I feel like everyone will be expecting so much from me with you and mother as our parents." The tom meowed.

"There, as pretty as when you were born." Ivypool meowed, giving her daughter a lick on the forehead. She then turned towards her son. "Foxkit, don't let that make you reckless during your training. You both don't have anything to prove by being our kits. Both of us were proud of you the second you were born. Nothing will ever take that away."

"Right. You both strive to be the amazing warriors you've always wanted to be." Lelouch told them.

"Mother, father, Bramblestar is wondering if they're ready." Nightheart asked.

"I think so. I hope I didn't miss a spot." Ivypool said, looking around both kits. Nightheart looked down at her siblings.

"You both look great. I can't wait to see you both finally become apprentices." She gave them both a kiss on the forehead. "Bramblestar says for you both to go up to him when you're ready. Mother, father, I'll save you a spot!" The older she-cat meowed as she made her way towards the rest of her Clanmates.

"Alright you two, it's time. Try to not get nervous and make sure to be on your best behavior." Lelouch told them.

"Right, although your father is one to talk. He's more nervous than you both, so don't worry." Ivypool said with a giggle.

"Didn't you see Nightheart's apprentice ceremony?" Swiftkit asked. Lelouch shook his head. "What?!"

"Your father was helping another world when your sister was born. It was something he had to do." Ivypool explained. "For his sake, don't do anything foolish, okay?"

"Yes, mother." Foxkit said with a nod.

"C'mon, Foxkit, let's go!" Swiftkit meowed, running towards the ThunderClan leader.

"Swiftkit, walk!" Lelouch called out. He then pushed his son softly forward with his tail. "You'll be great, Foxkit, I know it."

"Thank you, father." The kit received one final comforting lick behind his ear before following his sister. Ivypool pressed close to her mate, resting her head against his shoulder.

"You have nothing to be nervous about, really. They just need to stand still and listen to Bramblestar."

"Right. I don't think it's that I'm nervous, Ivypool. I think I'm just happy that I get to finally see my kits become apprentices."

"Well we won't have a good view from here." She told him before they both joined the rest of the Clan. They sat closest to the front of the group, Nightheart, Kirito, Asuna, Yui, and Suguha next to them.

"I bet you're both so excited to finally see Foxkit and Swiftkit become apprentices." Asuna meowed. "I'm sure they'll be great."

"Thank you, Asuna. I'm ready to pass on the trouble to any willing warrior." Ivypool joked. They heard a loud meow from the front of the group, silence falling in the camp as Bramblestar.

"Cats of ThunderClan, today is another momentous day. We have two kits who will finally make the transition to apprenticeship." Bramblestar looked at the two kits. "Which one of you would like to go first?" He asked softly. Swiftkit didn't hesitate, causing the leader to chuckle. "Swiftkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to become an apprentice. From this day on, until you complete your apprenticeship, you will now be known as Swiftpaw. Kirito will be your mentor."

"Yes!" Swiftpaw cheered, interrupting the leader. "Oh, sorry, Bramblestar!" She quickly apologized, looking away from her Clanmates in embarrassment. The leader shook his head, reassuring her, before he continued.

"I hope that he is able to pass down the skills that he has learned down to you. Kirito, do you mind coming up here?" The tom stood up and walked towards the leader. "Kirito, you've done so much for ThunderClan ever since you first set paw here. I've admired your skills, and your great sense of courage and determination. You will mentor Swiftpaw, and I'm sure that you will pass these skills onto her."

"Yes, Bramblestar. I'll do my best." He looked over at the apprentice, who let out a smile. Kirito touched noses with her, the whole camp now chanting her new name before they stepped aside for Foxkit. The dark gray tabby looked up at Bramblestar.

"Foxkit, like your sister, you've finally reached the age of apprenticeship. From this day forward, until you complete your training, you'll be known as Foxpaw. Suguha will be your mentor."

"What?!" Suguha meowed in surprise from the crowd. She stumbled over to the leader and Foxpaw. "I'm sorry, but did you really say my name, Bramblestar?" The ThunderClan leader nodded. "T-Thank you! I'm honored, actually."

"You do have characteristics of an excellent warrior, Suguha. I believe that you are ready to have an apprentice. Despite not being a cat your entire life, you have skills that make you seem otherwise. Your selfless and gentle heart are traits that some cats forget make a great warrior. I know that you'll pass everything you know to Foxpaw." Suguha looked at the apprentice and let out a smile.

"I'll try my best." She touched noses with Foxpaw, the camp now chanting the apprentice's name, followed by his sister's one last time. Once the cheering subsided, the Clan went back to their usual routine.

"I'm grateful to have you as a mentor, Suguha. I hope that I don't disappoint you." Foxpaw told the black she-cat.

"I know you won't. Honestly, I hope that I'm not the one who disappoints you, Foxpaw. I've never really seen myself as that great of a warrior."

"You need to have more confidence in yourself, Sugu." Kirito told her as he walked over to them with Swiftpaw. "You'll be a great mentor."

"Compared to you? I don't know, Kazuto."

"Totally. You've beaten me in kendo practice plenty of times. There's a bunch of things that you can do that I can't."

"Foxpaw, Swiftpaw, we're so proud of you!" Ivypool meowed as she and Lelouch approached them. "I know these two will train you well."

"You both tell us if these two misbehave in any way. The last thing we want is trouble for you both." Lelouch told them.

"Oh, sorry for cheering when Bramblestar told me Kirito was going to be my mentor. I couldn't help myself." Swiftpaw apologized.

"Don't worry. You've been wanting this for a while, after all." Ivypool meowed. "You both have even gotten apprentices before Lelouch has, so this is really great."

"Other than training Sparkpelt for a bit, she's right." The violet-eyed tom said. "Bramblestar had asked me if it was alright to let you both mentor them."

"Wait…so you knew and didn't tell me?!" Swiftpaw asked.

"You wouldn't have been as happy as you were a while ago." Her father responded. "He only asked due to how active you both might be at times. He also believed that you both have shown how capable you've been to ThunderClan. In terms of seniority and cats who haven't been given an apprentice, you both are at the top of the list, as well."

"It feels surreal that we've been here for this long." Kirito stated. "We'll take good care of these two. They'll become great warriors in no time." An empty look now formed on the tom's face. "Uh…so what do we do now?"

"Why was I even worried about you being a better mentor?" Suguha said, letting out a sigh. "We're going to take them around ThunderClan territory, dummy. C'mon Foxpaw."

"Yes, Suguha!" The apprentice followed behind the she-cat, causing Ivypool to giggle.

"You better follow those two."

"Right! Alright Swiftpaw, ready for your first day as an apprentice?"

"Yes! Show me around ThunderClan, o great mentor!" The two followed behind Suguha and Foxpaw as Lelouch and Ivypool watched them.

"Those two might be a bit of a dangerous pair." The two saw that it was Asuna, followed by Yui. "I hope you knew what you were asking for." She meowed with a giggle.

"Hopefully her enthusiasm translates to their training." Lelouch said, letting out a sigh. "But I know Kirito's a great warrior. He'll figure something out." Ivypool looked over at Asuna.

"Asuna, have you thought about asking Bramblestar to make Yui an apprentice?"

"Yui? She doesn't really fight in the worlds we've been in with her." The cream she-cat replied. "Actually, Yui's going to have to leave for a while."

"Really? Why?" Lelouch wondered.

"I have to do some research for daddy, mommy, and Suguha." The small black she-cat told them. "When they first came to ThunderClan, they were able to stay for so long, and it seemed like no time passed in their world. I thought that it was just the file that brought them here…but it seems like there is actually a way for them to experience living in this world for years while only minutes pass by in their world."

"Does technology like that really exist in your world, Asuna?" The violet-eyed tom asked.

"It has to. I'm sure whatever Yui is going to find is what allowed us to stay here for so long."

"Well, I know Swiftpaw's going to be happy to hear that news." Ivypool meowed.

"Oh, I'd like to say bye to Swiftpaw and Foxpaw before I leave. I don't know how long it'll be until I come back, or if I'm even able to." Asuna's hazel gaze looked down at Yui.

"You might not be able to come back?" Yui nodded.

"It's a possibility. I might only be able to watch over you, daddy, and Suguha only, just like how it was before." She replied.

"Hopefully you're able to stay. Swiftpaw and Foxpaw love playing with you." The silver-and-white she-cat told her.

"I do, too. I hope they won't be too sad when I leave." Asuna placed her tail on her daughter's shoulder.

"They'll always be happy knowing that they met you." She assured her. "Yui, you don't have to do this. We're fine logging in and having time pass by as usual. We don't want to have to let you say goodbye to Foxpaw and Swiftpaw." Yui shook her head.

"If the Clan needs help, I'd like for you three to be able to help them without worrying about your health back in Japan. Plus, I'll be helping them both by allowing you three to protect ThunderClan." Yui stated. "My mind's made up, mommy!" Lelouch let out a small chuckle.

"For being your adopted daughter, she takes a lot from her father."

"From his attitude, to his eating and sleeping habits." Asuna meowed, letting out a sigh. "But I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me love her more than I already do." Yui pressed closer to Asuna. "Those two will be back soon, Yui. Once you say goodbye, make sure you don't work yourself out too much, okay?"

"Yes, mommy." Asuna let out a smile. _There hasn't been any sort of danger ever since we've starting coming back to ThunderClan almost three months ago. Hopefully that doesn't change anytime soon._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kirito and Suguha took the lead as Foxpaw and Swiftpaw trailed along behind them. They were heading towards their border with SkyClan.

"Do you both smell anything strange?" Suguha asked them.

"Yes. I don't think I've smelled it before." Foxpaw meowed.

"We're near our border with SkyClan, right?" Swiftpaw stated.

"Yup. Nice job, Swiftpaw." Kirito praised the apprentice. "You both know one of the most important parts of the warrior code, right?"

"We're not to trespass onto the territory of another Clan." The silver-and-black tabby answered.

"Right. Good job, Foxpaw." Suguha meowed. "The last thing we want is trouble with the other Clans. No matter what, you have to remember that."

"Well, I don't think I'd go anywhere near here. The stench is pretty annoying." Swiftpaw stated. "When can we start hunting, Kirito? I've been dying to go out hunting for so long!" The tom let out a chuckle.

"Once we take a tour of our territory, then we can hunt, promise." The she-cat let out a cheer of joy.

"Yay! C'mon then, we have so much more land to cover!" The she-cat ran off towards ThunderClan's border with WindClan, causing Kirito to sigh.

"Swiftpaw, don't run off like that!" He meowed as he chased after her, leaving Suguha and Foxpaw behind.

"I think my sister might be a bit too excited to finally be out of camp." Suguha giggled.

"Well, she did sneak out that one time. I think it'll die out the more we go out." The black she-cat told him. "Are you not excited to be an apprentice, Foxpaw?"

"I am, Suguha, but not as much as my sister." His violet eyes glanced around him. "Maybe a bit overwhelmed and nervous, to be honest."

"You'll be fine, Foxpaw, don't worry. We'll take your training at your own pace. I'm not going anywhere until you finally become a warrior." She told him. "Besides, you're not the only one who's nervous. You heard how surprised I was when Bramblestar assigned me to be your mentor. I can't let him down, or you too, Foxpaw."

"We'll get through this together, Suguha. I have faith in you as a mentor." The tabby meowed with confidence. "We should probably catch up with my sister and Kirito." Suguha nodded and the two followed their scent trail leading up to the Ancient Oak.

"There you both are. Sorry we got this far. I had to give this one a bit of a talking to." Kirito meowed, Swiftpaw letting out a sigh.

"I said I was sorry!" Swiftpaw wailed before letting out a sigh. "You have fun going hunting, Foxpaw."

"What do you mean?" The tom asked.

"For running off, I'm cutting our tour of ThunderClan short for today." Kirito told him. "We'll try again tomorrow, Swiftpaw." Suguha looked at her cousin in surprise.

"I didn't expect this from you, Kazuto. Maybe you should give her another chance. She's been so excited to become an apprentice." The tom shook his head.

"She'll keep running off if I don't act now. C'mon, Swiftpaw, let's go back to camp."

"Yes, Kirito." Ears flat, the silver-and-white apprentice followed the tom back to ThunderClan. _Wow, I've never seen Kirito so serious before. I'm sure Swiftpaw didn't expect it at all, either._ Foxpaw thought as he turned to face Suguha.

"Well, c'mon Foxpaw. We'll go to the stream up ahead and then we'll practice hunting." His mentor meowed. With a nod, the young tom followed behind her. _Poor Swiftpaw. I'm sure this wasn't how she pictured her first day as an apprentice going._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kirito and Swiftpaw returned to camp, Squirrelflight greeting them when they entered. Before she said anything, she noticed the depressed look on Swiftpaw's face.

"What happened you two?"

"Did you want me to tell her?" Kirito asked, but the apprentice didn't respond. "Swiftpaw ran off by herself and I had to chase her. As punishment, we're finishing our trip around ThunderClan tomorrow."

"Oh…well it's normal for an apprentice to get excited about finally leaving camp. Do you think you're being a bit hard on her?" The deputy asked. Swiftpaw's eyes gleamed with appreciation. _Thank you, Squirrelflight!_ Kirito pulled the deputy aside.

"I know it seems that way, but…you know how much she's been wanting me to be her mentor. I have to be tough on her so that she acts more focused and doesn't see this as some sort of game."

"Well, I'm not allowed to tell you how you mentor your apprentice, so whatever you feel like works." Squirrelflight meowed.

"Trust me, she'll be an amazing warrior, and I'm not just saying that because I'm mentoring her." The deputy let out a small laugh.

"I'll hold you up on that promise." The tom let out a smile before making his way back to where Swiftpaw was waiting for him.

"What do I do now?" Swiftpaw asked.

"We're going to go tell Lelouch and Ivypool what you did."

"What? I already said I was sorry, Kirito! Why do you want to ruin my life?" The apprentice complained.

"C'mon, Swiftpaw." The black tom meowed sternly, ignoring her constant complaining. Kirito peeked into the warriors' den and saw Swiftpaw's parents. He motioned for them to come outside to speak with him. When they left the den, they saw their daughter, a guilty look on her face.

"What happened?" Ivypool asked, concern in her voice.

"I-I ran off by myself." She meowed, avoiding eye contact with her parents. "I-I'm really sorry."

"Sorry isn't going to be enough sometimes." Lelouch meowed. "Did you apologize to Kirito?"

"More than I probably should have." She muttered. "It's not like he even lost me. He was behind me the entire time."

"That doesn't matter." Her mother stated. "Kirito is your mentor, Swiftpaw. You have to listen to him."

"If I knew he would be like this, I wouldn't have been so happy—"

"Swiftpaw!" Ivypool looked at her in disbelief. "This isn't how Lelouch and I—." Kirito raised a paw.

"It's okay, really." He assured them. "C'mon Swiftpaw." Kirito walked away from the warriors' den, but the she-cat stayed still.

"Go with him." Her father commanded. Ears flat and tail drooping, Swiftpaw followed her mentor.

"You might as well tell Bramblestar what I did, and then the rest of the Clan before you tell the other Clans." She meowed. "Why do you want to ruin my life, Kirito? I-I always thought you'd be such an awesome mentor, but now…" Swiftpaw wiped her eyes with a paw. The tom looked down at her as she begun to cry. His dark gray gaze grew soft and he rested down beside his apprentice.

"Do you not want me to be your mentor anymore?" He asked.

"N-No…"

"Good. Because that's the last thing I'd want to happen." She looked over at the tom. "Swiftpaw, I was hoping that I could keep this act up for a bit longer…but I don't think I can after making you cry on your first day as an apprentice." He sighed. "I'm only being hard on you now so that you learn that you're not a kit anymore early on. You can't be running off on your own or be doing things by yourself without some sort of consequence. You have to learn that being an apprentice isn't a game, it's something you need to take seriously, and I know it must be hard, especially since you've been waiting for this moment for so long." He gave her a comforting lick to the ear, causing her face to grow hot. "It's just…if you got hurt in the future, it'd be my fault. I've felt the pain of being accountable for someone getting hurt too many times. I don't want it happening again." The tom got to his paws. "It's my duty to train you to be the best warrior ThunderClan's ever had, and I know you'll get there, Swiftpaw, but to become the best warrior, you need to act the part as soon as you can." Kirito saw that the apprentice was still wiping her eyes. "W-Was I being too harsh before?"

"No, it's everything that you just said!" She meowed. "I must be the worst apprentice ever!"

"C'mon, don't say that. Besides, I'm pretty sure Jayfeather had to have been an apprentice at some point, so you're good." The she-cat sniffled before letting out a small laugh. "Finally, a smile. So, you ready to go continue that tour of ThunderClan?"

"Really? I thought you—." Swiftpaw paused, then shook her head. "We can do it tomorrow. This is my punishment for acting like a kit, after all." Kirito smiled before letting out a small gasp of surprise when Swiftpaw pressed close to him. "Thank you for caring so much about me, Kirito. I'm sorry for being so stubborn before. I promise that I'll be more mature from this moment forward."

"Maybe not too mature. I like your cute outbursts." A small blush formed on Swiftpaw's face at the tom's comment, but she didn't mind. _He really is the greatest mentor I could've asked for. By training under him, I'm sure I'll be a great warrior, one ever better than Nightheart, or mom and dad!_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Mouse dung!" Foxpaw hit the ground with a paw as a mouse scurried away just as he leapt through the air. "I'm sorry for missing it again, Suguha." The she-cat shook her head, a smile on her face.

"Don't be! You've been doing amazing so far, Foxpaw. The others have told me that apprentices usually never catch anything on their first time hunting." She assured him. "You're getting better each time you've tried, so there's nothing to worry about."

"Oh, thank you, Suguha." The tom meowed, bowing his head. "Is there anything I can improve on specifically?"

"Hmmm…I'd say your approach. When you're hunting, you have to look at all your surroundings, especially the ones at your paws. Knowing the terrain you're on and the noise your pawsteps will make definitely make your hunting much easier." She told him. "But I think that's more of an advanced skill. This is only our first day, after all."

"I understand. I think I at least have a grasp of the basics thanks to your demonstration." He meowed, bowing his head in thanks.

"I'm glad. Now, I think that ends our first day of training. Tomorrow we'll practice fighting, okay?"

"Yes, Suguha." The she-cat smiled and led the young tom back to camp. _I'm lucky to have Suguha as a mentor. She's so nice. I hope that I don't let her down._

When the two returned to camp, they were approached by Lelouch, Foxpaw running over to his father and greeting him with a quick nuzzle to the cheek.

"How was your first day as an apprentice?" The black tom asked.

"Great! I mean, I didn't catch anything, but Suguha says that I'm slowly making progress." Foxpaw told him.

"He's very well-behaved. He reminds me of you, Lelouch." Suguha added.

"That's good to hear." The tom gave his son a lick to the ear. Foxpaw looked up at him.

"Father, how's Swiftpaw?"

"She's helping clean out the elder's den. Kirito told us what happened."

"Are you mad at her?" The silver-and-black tabby wondered. His father shook his head.

"Disappointed is a better word, but I think Kirito has her under control." Foxpaw looked over towards the elder's den when he heard the two laughing. _That's a relief. I was worried that Swiftpaw would still be sad after what had happened._ "He really cares about her. I overheard the talk they had after telling your mother and I what she did. He might be a better mentor than I expected."

"Foxpaw, hi!" Swiftpaw greeted her brother as she ran over to him. "So, how was your first time hunting?"

"It went well, at least, that's what Suguha says." He replied. "I didn't catch anything, though."

"Aw, well we both just became apprentices, so it's alright." She meowed. "Did you want to help Kirito, Yui, and I in the elder's den?"

"It's Yui's last day here, so she wanted to spend time with you both, even if it means helping your sister with her punishment." Lelouch told him.

"Oh, okay then. I'm sure working together must make it seem less like a punishment." He meowed. "Thank you for today, Suguha. I can't wait to go out again tomorrow."

"I'll be here." The black she-cat meowed with a smile before the siblings made their way over to the elder's den. "Lelouch, did you say it was Yui's last day here?"

"Yeah. After you left, Asuna told Ivypool and I that she would be doing some research on how you three were both able to stay here for so long even though time in your world barely moved. Asuna tried reasoning with her to stay, but Yui was pretty adamant about it."

"Sounds like Kazuto." Suguha said with a giggle. "It would definitely make training Foxpaw easier. I wouldn't have to keep him waiting for me after school or anything." She meowed. She looked near the warriors' den and saw Nightheart and Molewhisker sharing a piece of prey together. "I think I'm going to eat with those two. I haven't had anything yet today."

"Alright. Talk to you later, Suguha." He meowed before she made her way to the fresh-kill pile. _Their first day of being apprentices both went two different ways, but I'm sure the future for both Foxpaw and Swiftpaw is bright. They'll become great warriors in no time, I know it._

_Swiftpaw let out a _yawn as she got up, the silver-and-white she-cat rubbing her blue eyes with a paw. She looked next to her and saw that her brother was still asleep. _I think I'm just up too early because I'm excited to finally go out hunting today._ She thought as she peeked outside of the apprentice's den. _Yup, it looks like I'm up early._ Swiftpaw left the den and made her way over to the warriors' den. She saw where Kirito was and carefully made her way over to him. His body looked like it was fast asleep, which was partially true. _I hope he doesn't take too long to 'log-in' as he put it._

"Swiftpaw? What are you doing awake?" The silver-and-white apprentice turned around and saw that it was Nightheart.

"I didn't wake you up big sis, did I?" She whispered. The violet-eyed she-cat shook her head.

"Don't worry, I usually get up this early sometimes." Nightheart meowed. "I'm guessing you're excited to go out with Kirito again today?"

"Yup." She made her way over to her sister. "After yesterday, I'm positive that I know what Kirito wants from me."

"I'm glad to hear that." Her sister stated. "Foxpaw told me that Kirito was mad at you yesterday for running off. Was he really?"

"Yes! He yelled at me and everything! I didn't think it would ever happen! He was always so nice to me when I was a kit, which was still only a day ago!" She meowed, but her gaze grew soft. "But…when he told me why he acted that way…it just added to the list of why I like him so much."

"He really is a great cat. His heart is always in the right place." Nightheart stated. "Plus, he has a humorous side to him as well that gives him a sort of charm."

"You sure you wanna be complementing me like that with Molewhisker right next to you?" A blush immediately formed on the she-cat's face when she heard Kirito's voice, the tom now awake.

"W-Were you awake the entire time?" Nightheart asked.

"Only when Swiftkit was talking about how much I scared her." He said before letting out a yawn. "Honestly, I thought that I'd be the one waking her up."

"Nope! I'm really ready this time, Kirito. I promise I won't run off and I'll listen to everything you say."

"Can you both…take this out of the warriors' den?" Molewhisker meowed.

"StarClan, what are you doing this morning?" Nightheart asked herself, looking over at the tom afterwards. "Did you hear what I said about Kirito?"

"Yeah, but you don't think I'd get mad about that, right?" He asked, letting out a small smile. "I'll get up in a bit."

"Take all the rest you need." Nightheart meowed, giving the tom a lick to the ear. She looked over at Kirito and her sister. "You both have fun."

"We will. Bye, Nightheart!" Swiftpaw whispered, giving her sister a nuzzle before she left the warriors' den with Kirito. Before the two left, Squirrelflight stopped them.

"You're both up early. Are you going out to train?"

"Yeah, I promised her yesterday that I'd come here early to make up for yesterday." Kirito told the deputy.

"Well, you both be safe out there. Good luck on your first full day out as an apprentice, Swiftpaw." The silver-and-white she-cat bowed her head in thanks before the two left camp.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Okay, so you ran all the way up to the Great Oak, so we'll start there and make our way towards our border with WindClan." The tom meowed before he chuckled. "You're very familiar with that tree."

"Oh, right, when I snuck out of camp that one time." The apprentice meowed, letting out a small laugh. "That was the old me. I promise that I won't sneak out of camp unless I feel like I really, really have to."

"Meaning…"

"Only when I think a cat needs help." She assured him. "That's okay, right?"

"Yeah, but at least tell me if I'm around. I'll go with you." He told her. As the two were walking, Kirito came to a halt, Swiftpaw turning to look at the tom. "Look over there." Kirito whispered, pointing his tail towards a lone mouse. "You think you can get it? Remember some of the tips I gave you moons ago when we'd practice in camp?"

"I'll try." Swiftpaw slowly crept up towards the mouse. _Okay, I need to go slowly so that it doesn't sense me. Then, I need to always check my surroundings._ She looked down at her paws and saw fallen leaves scattered through the forest floor. _I think if I'm careful enough I can still step on the leaves and it won't notice me._ Very cautiously, Swiftpaw trekked through the leaves, keeping her body and tail low to not alert the mouse. She saw that it still hadn't noticed her yet. _Great! Now, I just need to get a good jump and I'll get my first piece of prey._ The she-cat got into a hunter's crouch, ready to pounce. _One…two…three!_ Swiftpaw leapt through the air, claws unsheathed, and dove onto the mouse. It struggled in between her paws, the apprentice finishing it off with one killing bite. _I did it! I caught it on my first try!_ "Kirito, I did it! I did it, I did it, I did it!" She meowed with joy, running over to her mentor.

"That was awesome, Swiftpaw! You definitely retained some of the things I taught you." He touched noses with the apprentice. "At this rate, maybe we can make you a warrior soon already." The tom meowed with a laugh. "I'm more than proud of you already."

"R-Really?" The she-cat's eyes gleamed with admiration.

"Why wouldn't I be? You remembered all that stuff from moons ago. I saw you check your surroundings and keep your body low. The only thing I could say we can improve on is your speed in doing all of that, but other than that, you caught the mouse, and that's what really matters."

"Right!" Swiftpaw ran over to the mouse and picked it up.

"Oh, and always remember that we never eat what we catch out here. It goes to the fresh-kill pile." The apprentice nodded. "Great. Alright, let's head over to our border with WindClan.

When the two arrived at the river between WindClan and ThunderClan, they ran into a border patrol on the other side of the river. Kirito saw that it was Sedgewhisker, Nightcloud, and Leaftail.

"Kirito, good morning. Is this your apprentice?" Nightcloud asked.

"Yup. This is Swiftpaw. She just became an apprentice yesterday." He meowed.

"Is that mouse she's carrying hers?" Leaftail wondered.

"She just caught it earlier. It was her first time hunting, too."

"That's amazing. It usually takes apprentices a while until they catch their first piece of prey." Sedgewhisker stated.

"That's what I've heard from some of the warriors in ThunderClan. I've actually helped her train before when she was still a kit for fun, but I didn't even need to remind her about anything at all today." Warmth filled Swiftpaw as the tom praised her in front of the WindClan patrol. _Other than my mix-up yesterday, being his apprentice is even better than I ever dreamed._

"She's been that eager to become a warrior, huh?" Nightcloud said with a small laugh. "I'm sure her time as an apprentice will reflect that."

"Here's hoping." The tom meowed. "Well, we're gonna get going now. Just wanted to show her the territory up until the border."

"Make sure not to set a paw over here without good reason, Swiftpaw." Leaftail meowed in a playful, but serious tone.

"Don't worry, she definitely knows that." Kirito assured the tom. "It was nice seeing you three. C'mon, Swiftpaw." The two turned around and made their way back into the forests of ThunderClan. "Okay, let's go hunting again. This time, I'm gonna let you try to find the prey and catch it." The tom led her over to the Ancient Oak again and stopped. "Let's bury your mouse over here so it doesn't distract you." She dug a hole and dropped her mouse in it.

"Okay. Is there anything you want me to look for?"

"Nope. I'm sure the Clan will be fine with whatever you can get your paws on." He meowed. "You take the lead, Swiftpaw." She nodded and tasted the air, Kirito doing the same. _I don't sense anything nearby. Maybe I'll be able to find a bird or something if we go deeper into the forest where there's more trees._ She thought as she led the tom through ThunderClan territory. She softened her pawsteps as she walked to make sure to not alert any prey that could be close by. After walking for a while, the scent of prey finally caught her nose. She came to a halt and saw a blackbird pecking into the ground tail-lengths away in front of her. _Okay, just like earlier, Swiftpaw._ The she-cat slowed her approach as she kept her body low to the forest floor. Right when she stopped and was ready to pounce, the bird turned around and stared straight at her. _I have to go now!_ As quick as she could, Swiftpaw pounced towards the bird, but it flew away, the apprentice trying her best to swipe a paw to hit it as it ascended into the air.

"Nice job, Swiftpaw." Kirito meowed as he walked over to her.

"Really? I totally messed that up."

"It was more just being unlucky. If it didn't turn around, you would've had it for sure." He assured her. "Birds are the most annoying to catch. With mice or rabbits, you can at least chase after them if they get away."

"I'll make sure to catch one of those feathered pieces of prey one day." She meowed.

"I'm sure of it." The tom replied. "Let's go get you mouse and go back to camp for today."

"Already? But I only hunted twice today."

"Right, but you caught something the first time." He stated. "You're making great progress already, Swiftpaw, but I don't want to rush you towards becoming a warrior. I'd like to mentor you for as long as I can." A small blush formed on the she-cat's face. _I really hope I'm not dreaming. I don't even know why I want to rush becoming a warrior at this point! I'd like to learn as much as I can from Kirito._ "You remember where you buried your mouse."

"By the Ancient Oak, of course." She meowed.

"Lead the way."

Swiftpaw dug up her mouse by the towering tree, Kirito placing his tail on her shoulder before she picked it up. She looked over at the tom, wondering what he was going to say.

"I wanted to talk with you a bit before you're unable to with that mouse in your mouth." He meowed, letting out a gentle smile. "Your hunting skills today were great, Swiftpaw, but there's definitely things that we can improve on. They're all more advanced, though. You definitely got the basics of hunting down, I'm sure of it."

"Thank you, Kirito. So, what did I do wrong today?"

"Nothing, really, it's more like things you could've done. For example, we spent time walking through the forest for a while looking for that bird, but look over here…" Kirito walked over to a nearby barren piece of ground, the apprentice following him. "See those tracks? Those are rabbit paw prints. The scent's untraceable from afar, but when you get close enough, you can just barely catch a scent trail. Sometimes, you won't be able to, which is when you can follow the tracks that were left by." He explained. "Hunting isn't all about using your nose and ears to try and find the location of prey. Sometimes we take using our vision for granted. There's a lot of visual cues out there that can help find prey, too."

"I can't believe I missed that." The tom let out a smile.

"Like I said, it's a more advanced skill. We'll touch up on it someday." He told her. "You have any questions about today, Swiftpaw?" The she-cat shook her head, but then looked back at him.

"How do you know so much about hunting, Kirito?"

"You remember the stories Asuna and I would tell you about SAO when you and your brother were in the nursery?" The apprentice nodded. "Well, being trapped in that world, I needed to survive, so I needed to eat. I could've just bought food, but hunting was a good way to hone some of my skills as well as get food. I definitely didn't hunt like this, but most of the tactics and skills I've obtained translated pretty well as a cat."

"That makes sense. I'm sure it might be a bit easier hunting as a Twoleg, too."

"Definitely, but I like the extra challenge that hunting as a cat offers." Swiftpaw let out a giggle. "Alright, let's get back to camp. I'm sure the others are waiting to see your first catch."

Swiftpaw and Kirito crossed through the thorn tunnel leading into the heart of ThunderClan. The camp was definitely more active than it was when they left. Kirito looked around camp to see if either Ivypool or Lelouch were around. He saw Ivypool sitting down with a mouse between her paws.

"C'mon, let's go show Ivypool what you caught." They approached the silver-and-white she-cat, Ivypool smiling as they approached.

"You both must've left pretty early this morning." She meowed. Ivypool noticed the mouse between her daughter's jaws. "You caught your first piece of prey today?"

"Yup. On her first try, too. I didn't even need to teach her. She remembered everything I taught her when we'd play moons ago." Kirito stated.

"That's amazing, Swiftpaw! I'm so proud of you." Ivypool got up to give her daughter a lick on the forehead. "Your father and sister went out on a border patrol, but I'm sure they'll be happy to hear the news."

"Why don't you go drop that off in the fresh-kill pile? We can go brag about it to your brother and Sugu after." Kirito joked. The apprentice nodded and left to deposit her prey. "She's been doing great for only our second day out. We could've done more, but I don't want to rush her in becoming a warrior already."

"I understand, but something tells me it's for more than her own sake." The she-cat said with a smile.

"W-Well, yeah. I kinda implied that when I talked with her earlier." He told her. "Maybe it's just because I've connected with her since she was a kit, but I'd like to make the most of her time as an apprentice."

"Okay, all done!" Swiftpaw meowed after running back to her mother and mentor after dropping her mouse off at the fresh-kill pile. "What were you both talking about?"

"Just about how much Kirito loves being your mentor." Ivypool meowed. "I'm sure it's definitely what you've been expecting so far, huh?"

"More than that. I feel like I've learned so much already. I couldn't have asked for a better mentor."

"Thanks, Swiftpaw. I do think I could've asked for a better apprentice, though."

"What?! Only because of yesterday?" The tom let out a laugh. "You're not going to let me live that down, huh?"

"I'm just messing with you. Besides, it wasn't that big of a thing."

"Says the one who yelled at me about it!" She retorted. "I can't wait till we practice fighting. I'm going to get you back for yesterday one of these days."

"We'll see about that. C'mon, let's go tell Foxpaw about your hunting today." The two walked over to the apprentice's den and saw the tom resting in his nest. He raised his head up at the sound of pawsteps and saw the two.

"Hiya Foxpaw! Guess what happened today? I caught my first piece of prey! On my first try, too!"

"Really? That's great, Swiftpaw! Hopefully I can do the same today, but Suguha still isn't awake yet."

"Did you try messaging her?" Kirito asked. Foxpaw shook his head.

"I don't want to bother her. Besides, I can wait to train later. It's okay."

"Don't worry. Once Yui figures out how to keep us here exactly the way it was before, we'll be here more often." He said, letting out a yawn. "Swiftpaw, I think I'm gonna log off for now. I think I need to rest a bit more still."

"That's okay. Thanks for waking up early to take me out training, Kirito."

"No prob, and don't worry Foxpaw, I'll tell Sugu to get on. See you both later."

"Bye, Kirito." The apprentices meowed before the tom left. Swiftpaw looked over at her brother. "So, how's having Suguha as a mentor?"

"Great. She's so kind. Even when I mess up, she encourages me to try again." He told her. "I'm guessing training with Kirito went well today?"

"Yup! He's been really impressed with me today. We didn't do much hunting since he thinks I'm pretty ahead with my hunting skills. I was actually able to remember everything he taught me when I was a kit."

"That's awesome, Swiftpaw. I think it's obvious that you've been excited to become an apprentice for a while." Her brother stated. "Was being yelled at yesterday worth it?" Swiftpaw nodded and let out a smile.

"Definitely."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Suguha walked beside Foxpaw_ as they made their way back to camp, the heavy rain soaking their fur. It had been a moon ever since Foxpaw and Swiftpaw became apprentices, and in that time, Suguha, Kirito, and Asuna were now able to stay in ThunderClan as long as they did before. It filled the young tom with joy. _Being able to spend more time training with Suguha has been great. I've definitely been improving every day._

"Gosh, I knew it was going to rain, but I didn't think it would be this bad. It's been a while since it's been this bad." The she-cat meowed. "Are you doing okay, Foxpaw?"

"Yes, Suguha. How about you?"

"Other than my fur getting dirty with all of this mud, it could be worse." She replied. "Don't worry about catching anything. I'd rather get you some shelter than stay out here." The sudden boom of thunder caused Suguha to jump. "We should quicken our pace back to camp. I don't think it's going to get better anytime soon."

When the two arrived back in camp, they saw the stone floor begin to becoming blanketed with water. The camp was going to flood, much like it did before.

"Foxpaw!" Ivypool ran over to the two. "Are you both okay?"

"Yes, mother."

"Thank StarClan. This rain is horrible. This is one of the only bad things about leaf-fall sometimes. Come, we need to evacuate camp."

"Over to the lake?" Suguha asked. Ivypool nodded.

"Your sister and Kirito already made their way over there with another patrol."

"And father?"

"He and your older sister are making sure everyone evacuates safely. Lelouch!" The silver-and-white she-cat called out to her mate. He turned and touched his son's violet gaze with his own. He simply nodded before he turned to continue navigating the cats out of camp. "We should get going now, before things get worse." The two nodded and walked with Ivypool out of camp and towards the lake.

Lelouch looked around camp to make sure every cat had left. _The nursery and elder's den is cleared out, and the rest of the warriors should be making their way to the lake._ He told himself. _That leaves the medicine cat's den. Alderheart and Jayfeather already left, but Asuna and Leafpool are still inside._

"Father, is everything alright?" Nightheart called from across the camp, her voice cutting through the vicious downpour.

"Just waiting for Leafpool and Asuna." Lelouch replied before walking over to the medicine cat's den. He looked inside and saw that the two were picking up herbs. "Are you both almost ready to go?"

"I think so. I'm carrying as much as I can in my inventory and in these bundles." Asuna meowed. "C'mon Leafpool, we have to go." A loud crack was heard from outside of the den. Lelouch watched as clumps of rock began to drop towards the camp, crashing down below. _Not again…_

"Leafpool, Asuna, we have to go, now!" The tom meowed before running away from the den. "Nightheart, get away from here!" The violet-eyed she-cat nodded and followed behind her father to where Bramblestar and Squirrelflight were waiting. From the medicine cat's den, Asuna and Leafpool ran out with the herbs, but Asuna suddenly heard a yowl of pain from behind her. She turned and saw that Leafpool had fallen due to the slippery stone floor, one of her hindlegs badly sprained.

"Leafpool!" Asuna dropped her herb bundle and ran back to her. "I'll help you get up!"

"Don't, I'll only slow you down!" The she-cat responded. Stones began to fall around the two, Asuna looking up at the side of the cliff that began to break down. "You have to go!"

"Not without you! Leafpool, I won't let you die!" Asuna tried picking up the she-cat and tried to walk as fast as she could without agitating the she-cat's injured hindleg.

"Leave me, Asuna, please!"

"No! I won't do it!" The cream she-cat felt a mound of stone crash down next to her, one of the flying shards cutting her cheek.

"Asuna!" She turned around and saw that it was Squirrelflight. "Go! I'll take care of Leafpool!" The deputy told her.

"But…"

"That's an order!" She spat. Asuna nodded and ran over to where Bramblestar, Lelouch, and Nightheart were. As she stood there, she looked at the collapsing cliff face. _They're not going to make it…_

"Squirrelflight, Leafpool, get out of there!" Bramblestar called out. The four cats watched helplessly as a huge chunk of the cliff now collapsed and rolled towards the two she-cats. Although she was struggling, Leafpool grabbed her sister by the scruff and pushed her away as hard as she could before the two were consumed by the rockslide.

"No!" Nightheart flinched, looking away from the sight as her father placed his tail on her shoulder to comfort her. As the debris in the air finally faded, they saw the fallen bodies of the two sisters near the mound of rocks. The four ran over to them, hoping that they were alright.

"Asuna, please check on them!" Bramblestar told her, desperation in the Clan leader's voice. Lelouch and Nightheart helped pull the two away from the debris, Asuna walking over to check on the two. Asuna looked over at Squirrelflight first, her hazel eyes glowing.

"How is she?" The ThunderClan leader asked. "Is she still alive?"

"She is…but it's almost like how Lelouch was before."

"I-Is Squirrelflight okay?" Asuna looked over and saw that it was Leafpool, the she-cat's amber eyes just barely open. The cream she-cat looked over at her, eyes glowing much like before. Unlike Squirrelflight, there was much more that Asuna saw. Leafpool looked over at Asuna and saw tears swelling up in her eyes.

"Oh, Leafpool…" Lelouch looked over at Asuna.

"Asuna…she's not…" The she-cat didn't speak. "N-No! We can't let her die! Nightheart!" The tom called her daughter. "Your Geass…use it on Leafpool. Do it, now!" He commanded.

"O-Okay." The she-cat walked over to Leafpool, her left eye now bearing the symbol of Geass. "Leafpool…don't die…please." She softly meowed. A red ring formed around the brown tabby's amber eyes, but soon faded. "Father…I don't think it's working."

"I-It's okay. I've lived a great life." The she-cat coughed, blood escaping her mouth. "You all…have done so much for me." She looked over at Bramblestar. "You helped…raise my kits. I couldn't…be more grateful, Bramblestar."

"It was my pleasure, Leafpool." The tabby tom meowed, bowing his head.

"And you both…" She looked over at Lelouch and Nightheart. "You both are a…splitting image of each other." She cracked a small smile. "Thank you for helping in the medicine cat's den…whenever you had a chance. It warmed me up seeing…how much you both cared for your Clanmates."

"Thank you for…letting us." Lelouch meowed, choked from seeing the dying she-cat give her last goodbyes to them. "You're one of the sweetest cats in ThunderClan, Leafpool. It's…not going to be the same without you here."

"R-Right. I…oh, Leafpool." Nightheart's tears mixed with the falling rain from above. Leafpool's amber gaze now stared at Asuna, the she-cat unable to fight away her tears.

"Leafpool…I'm…I'm so sorry!" Asuna sobbed. "I wish I could do something, but I…I…"

"There's…nothing you can do, Asuna, don't…worry." Leafpool meowed. "You're…an amazing medicine cat. I've been…so lucky to have gotten to know you. I know that ThunderClan is in good paws with you, Alderheart, and Jayfeather." Leafpool now struggled to breathe, the she-cat wincing in pain. "Keep…working hard as a medicine cat…and try to keep Jayfeather from yelling at Alderheart too much." Asuna let out a small smile.

"I-I will, for you." Leafpool smiled once more before her eyes slowly closed. "Leafpool! Leafpool you can't go! Please! Leafpool!" Asuna cried as she shook the she-cat's body. She felt a tail touch her shoulder and saw that it was Bramblestar.

"There's nothing we can do, Asuna. I…I'm sorry." He meowed. "We need to get them both out of here. Lelouch, can you help me carry Squirrelflight?" The tom nodded and worked with Bramblestar to carry the deputy out of the flooded camp. Asuna looked over at Nightheart and saw that she was almost in the same condition that she was in.

"Nightheart." The cream she-cat called her, but she didn't move.

"Why would StarClan do this?" Nightheart murmured. "Leafpool would never hurt anyone…so why?"

"I…I don't know, Nightheart." Asuna meowed. "Sometimes things happen…and there's no good reason for them to. Remember when you died back at the gorge protecting Kirito? You didn't deserve that at all." Asuna looked down at Leafpool's body. _That doesn't mean that this shouldn't hurt._ "W-We need to carry her out of here, Nightheart. Can you help me?" The she-cat silently nodded and helped pick up Leafpool's lifeless body with Asuna, the two she-cats following behind the toms as they made their way to the lake.

When the four cats arrived, every cat got up to greet them, but at once, any noise of greeting stopped at the sight of Leafpool and Squirrelflight.

"What happened?" Cloudtail asked, concern in his meow.

"Is mother okay?" Alderheart looked over at his father.

"Yes. Asuna says that she's lost consciousness, but is fine…but Leafpool…" The leader's voice trailed off. Alderheart looked over at Asuna and Nightheart and ran over to them. He could immediately tell that she was dead.

"There was a rockslide. She fell and hurt her hindleg. I tried helping her, but…" Asuna's voice faded away. There was nothing she could've done to save her. If she didn't run, she would've been caught as well. _But…Squirrelflight also got caught in it. This isn't my world, anyway. I should've at least kept trying!_

"It's not your fault, Asuna. I'm sure you tried your best." The tom assured her, his voice becoming soft. "I should go tell Jayfeather."

"I'll tell him, Alderheart." Asuna meowed. Cats quickly built nests for the two sisters, Asuna and Nightheart resting Leafpool's body down before she walked over to Jayfeather. Before she could speak, Jayfeather's blind gaze touched her hazel eyes.

"Are you going to tell me that my mother's dead? I already overheard everything."

"I'm so sorry, Jayfeather. She hurt her leg as we were running, and…"

"It's okay, Asuna." The blind tom meowed. "I know you tried your best. Thank you." With everything that just happened, the tom seemed calm, almost as if Leafpool's death meant little to him.

"Jayfeather…this isn't right. If you need to cry—."

"I'm not going to!" He retorted. "I'm not…" Asuna watched as tears began to stream down the tom's face. "I'm fine…" The she-cat pressed her body close to his.

"I'm here for you, Jayfeather." _I know he needs someone right now…but I know that I need him and Alderheart just as much._

"Hey you two." Asuna turned around and saw that it was Kirito. "I'm…really sorry about Leafpool, Jayfeather." The blind tom stayed silent. "Asuna, you okay?"

"I'm fine. Thank you, Kirito."

"Yeah. Listen, Alderheart wanted to check your injuries." The tom informed her.

"Okay." As she began to move away, Asuna felt Jayfeather lean his head onto her shoulder.

"Don't leave…please." He whispered inaudibly.

"Tell him I'll see him later, Kirito." Her mate nodded and left the two alone. Asuna pressed her head close to Jayfeather's. _He's broken inside right now. I'm the only one he shows this side to._ She gave him a comforting lick to the ear. _I won't leave, Jayfeather…not until this sorrow passes._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

A moon had passed ever since ThunderClan's camp was hit with the devastating rockslide. Inside the medicine cat's den, Asuna was looking over Finleap, the tom having an upset stomach as of lately.

"Did you eat anything rotten?"

"I know better than that." The tom responded. "My belly's just started hurting for some reason, and I have no idea why." Jayfeather walked over to him and gave the tom a sniff. He could tell that he had vomited recently, which was most likely why he was in here now.

"He'll be okay, right?" Twigbranch asked, worry in her meow.

"Yes. You don't have to worry, Twigbranch. We'll give him some herbs and he'll be better in no time." The cream she-cat assured her.

"Right. I'll go get some wet moss to cool him down." Alderheart meowed before leaving the den. Asuna watched as Jayfeather walked over to the herb storage, taking a while to find the watermint needed for the tom's bellyache. Once he picked up the herb, he brought it over to Finleap.

"Here's some watermint. You'll feel better eventually." Right when Finleap was about to lap up the herbs, Asuna placed her tail in front of him. _That's coltsfoot. Jayfeather would never mess something like that up…but I know why. He still hasn't gotten over Leafpool's death._ Alderheart returned to the den and saw the herbs in front of Finleap.

"Coltsfoot? He needs watermint. Here, I'll go get some." The tom dropped the bundle of moss and went into the herb storage, bringing Finleap the watermint while returning the coltsfoot afterward. "That was a close one, Asuna. They were probably just too close together." Asuna looked over at Jayfeather, Twigbranch doing the same. The tom had assumed that it wasn't Jayfeather, especially with how diligent and focused he was.

"Well maybe Leafpool should've organized the storage better!" The blind tom snapped. "Everything's all over the place!"

"You can change it, now that Leafpool—." Twigbranch stopped. The whole den went silent. Asuna knew that Twigbranch didn't mean to bring up the fact that Leafpool was gone, but she knew how much it hurt Jayfeather to remember. The tom let out a growl and turned his blind gaze towards the she-cat.

"You don't have the right to tell any cat here what to do!" He retorted. "Ever since you were a kit you've been in here! Just mind your own business!" Twigbranch let out a gasp and averted her gaze away from his.

"I-I'm sorry, Jayfeather. I didn't mean to come off that way." She stammered. Asuna placed her tail on the she-cat's shoulder to comfort her.

"He's still going through a lot, Twigbranch. It's not your fault." She assured her. The cream she-cat walked over to the blind tom, Alderheart leaning close to him.

"That was harsh, even for you, Jayfeather. You know Twigbranch is just trying to help." Asuna placed her tail between the two toms. Her hazel gaze looked over at Alderheart.

"Alderheart…leave him alone." She spoke softly.

"What? He's been having issues lately. We're just trying to help." He replied. "He can at least say sorry to Twigbranch." Asuna softly nudged the tom, and he let out a sigh.

"Sorry, Twigbranch." He quickly apologized. "I'm going out." The tom meowed before leaving the den. Asuna looked over at Alderheart.

"You know why he's acting the way he is, Alderheart. Why are you treating him like he's just being as moody as usual?" The she-cat scolded him, Alderheart's ears falling flat. "I'll be back." Asuna left the medicine cat's den and followed Jayfeather. She saw that he was leaving camp.

"Jayfeather, are you—." Lelouch stopped when the blind medicine cat simply passed by him without a word. The tom had been made deputy in place of Squirrelflight, the she-cat still not recovered from her unconscious state. He then noticed Asuna. "Are you going after him?" She nodded. "He's still distraught over Leafpool, isn't he?"

"Yes. I'm the only cat he shows his emotions to. I have to try helping him as much as I can."

"I'm sure he's grateful, Asuna, and I'm sure Leafpool is as well." The violet-eyed tom meowed. "Be safe out there." Asuna gave him a nod of thanks before she chased after the tom. She saw that he didn't go far, Jayfeather resting below a nearby tree, his head resting on his paws. His blind gaze turned to face Asuna when he caught her scent.

"I know you're still hurting inside, Jayfeather. I told you that I'd always be here for you." She meowed as she rested down next to him.

"It's just…it wasn't her time to die. She should still be in the medicine cat's den with us." He said. "As a medicine cat, I should know that death is just a part of life and I should move on…but I can't. Even with everything's she done to my siblings and I in the past, I…"

"You love her?" The tom slowly nodded.

"She wasn't the perfect mother…but she didn't need to. There were so many things that I said to her that I should never have, and there's so many things I've kept to myself that I wish I said to her."

"So why don't you come to the Moonpool with us so you can speak with her?"

"Because if I see her…if I see her…" Tears slowly began to stream down the tom's face. "I don't want to see her as a spirit living in StarClan. I don't…know if I can take it." The she-cat gave him a comforting lick to the ear.

"You have to be strong, Jayfeather. I know it's hard knowing that Leafpool isn't with us anymore, but someday you'll have to face the truth." She touched her muzzle to his cheek. "I'll be here for you when that day comes Jayfeather, I promise." The tom moved away from her and wiped his eyes with a paw.

"Thank you, Asuna." He meowed softly. _With Asuna here…will I be able to actually do it? Can I really face the truth that my mother is gone? Despite all the sorrow and pain that it's brought…this is something I have to accept, whether I want to or not._

A few sunrises had passed, Asuna walking with Jayfeather towards the Moonpool, the moon shining above in the dark sky. The other night, Alderheart and Asuna heard the tom call out his mother's name in his sleep, concerning them both. He wouldn't perform his medicine cat duties as well as he did before if he didn't speak with Leafpool eventually.

"You have nothing to be nervous about, Jayfeather. I'll be there with you." The cream she-cat assured him.

"Right." He meowed. "Asuna?" The she-cat turned around. "I know I've said it a bit more than usual lately, but…thank you for helping me get through all of this. I'm…lucky to have a cat like you in my life." A small blush formed on the tom's face.

"I'm glad to help you, Jayfeather. Now, stop trying to stall."

"W-What? I was genuinely thanking you!" He stammered, causing the she-cat to giggle. "We're almost there anyway, right?"

"Yeah. Just a few more pawsteps." The two finally reached the Moonpool, and when they reached the entrance, Jayfeather's nose twitched.

"Are the other medicine cats here too?" He asked. "I thought it was just us two."

"Sorry Jayfeather, but they're as concerned about you as I am. We all just want to be here for you, that's all." She meowed. "C'mon, they're all waiting for us." The two walked down the spiral stone path leading to the heart of the Moonpool. Near the water, the other medicine cats were all waiting.

"There he is! Finally!" Willowshine meowed.

"I hope you all weren't waiting too long." Asuna apologized.

"It's okay. We all just want to make sure that Jayfeather's okay, that's all." Mothwing stated.

"Right. Although he may be grumpy, we still care about him. Medicine cats always have to stick together, after all." Kestrelflight meowed. Jayfeather's blind gaze touched theirs, but he said nothing. Asuna gave him a small nudge.

"Y'know, a small thank you wouldn't be too bad."

"R-Right." The tom cleared his throat. "Thank you all for being here. I'm sorry if I've been a bit more snappy than usual, or if I've worried any of you."

"We just hope you feel better after this." Alderheart meowed.

"You're very fortunate to have one of the kindest cats in the forest looking out for you as well." Puddleshine commented, causing Asuna to smile.

"We'll give you some privacy to speak with StarClan." Frecklewish meowed as she and the other medicine cats made their way to the top of the entrance to the Moonpool. As they all left, Asuna still stood beside the tom.

"Would you like me to come with you?" She asked the tom.

"Yes…please. I'd feel much more at ease if you were with me, Asuna." He confessed.

"Okay." The two padded close to the Moonpool and touched their noses to the water's surface. Their surroundings now changed to a dark void, only a single small glimmer of light nearby.

"Jayfeather? Oh, and Asuna, too." The two knew that the voice didn't belong to Leafpool, but they knew who it was.

"Hollyleaf?" Jayfeather called out. The ball of light expanded into a bright path, their surroundings now changing into a starlit forest. Hollyleaf walked down the path towards the two, her black coat glimmering with stars.

"It's good to see you both again." Hollyleaf meowed with a smile.

"You as well." The tom meowed. He looked around, but saw no sign of Leafpool. "Is she not going to come? Everyone's been begging me to speak with my dead mother for so long. Does she not want to see me?"

"That's not it at all." The she-cat took a seat next to her brother. "Mother would love to talk with you again, but she feels like you'll be in too much shock when the time comes." Jayfeather looked at Hollyleaf in surprise.

"You called her mother."

"I know. All this time I've felt resentment towards her…but once she came to StarClan, we've been talking, and I'm happy to finally understand her and everything that she's done." Jayfeather let out a sigh.

"She could've at least been our mother instead of thinking about herself." In front of them, a cascade of leaves blew past them, Leafpool appearing once the breeze stopped. Starlight surrounded her, a bright glow following every pawstep she took as she approached the three. Asuna and Jayfeather looked at her in awe, the cream she-cat wiping her eyes with a paw.

"I'm happy to see you here, Asuna. Thank you for looking after Jayfeather ever since I died." Without any words, Asuna pressed her head into the she-cat's shoulder.

"I miss you so much, Leafpool." She sobbed.

"I know. I'm sorry that all of this happened. However, I'm able to watch over you and the others now to make sure you're safe." Leafpool meowed before Asuna broke away from her. Leafpool's amber gaze looked over at Jayfeather. "I'm sorry that you think the choices I made were for my own well-being, but that isn't the case at all. I did what I thought was best for you, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf. The day I gave you three to my sister…I felt broken inside…but I couldn't let you three suffer because of my mistake." Jayfeather didn't speak, allowing his mother to continue. "I gave you three to my sister knowing that she'd care for you as if you were her own…and from the looks of it." She looked over at Hollyleaf and Jayfeather. "My choice couldn't have been that bad." Jayfeather shook his head.

"I should've only lost you once…but now I've lost you twice." He murmured.

"I know, but as I told Asuna, I'll be able to watch over you and the others from now on…at least if you'd let me, Jayfeather." She meowed before she gave the tom's cheek a loving nuzzle. The tom could feel his heart swell up with affection and love. This was the first time he now ever felt that the bond between them was one between a mother and her son. "I love you, Jayfeather. I always have." Leafpool mewed. Jayfeather and Asuna now watched as Leafpool and Hollyleaf slowly began to fade away in front of them into a sparking mist before their vision faded to black.

Asuna and Jayfeather woke up next to the Moonpool, the two stretching their legs as they got to their paws. Asuna looked over at the blind tom, who let out a sigh.

"Do you feel better now?" She asked.

"Yeah. Thanks for being there with me, Asuna."

"It's no—." The she-cat paused when she felt Jayfeather give her a kiss on the check, a strong blush on the tom's face.

"Y-You're always doing it to me…so I thought I'd do it to thank you." He meowed. "A-And because…you know that I love you, Asuna. I can at least show it to you in some way." The she-cat pressed her head below the tom's chin lovingly. Jayfeather's nose twitched and his blind gaze looked towards the bottom of the spiral path. Asuna looked over and saw that Alderheart was there.

"A-Alderheart!" Asuna quickly stepped away from the tom, a huge blush on her face. "Where are the others?"

"They went back home. I wanted to come back to camp with you both." He meowed. "Don't worry, I won't tell Kirito what I saw, but I'm sure he knows that you like Asuna, Jayfeather."

"Yeah, well that doesn't mean he has to know what we did!" The medicine cat retorted. Alderheart let out a smile.

"That's the Jayfeather I like to hear." The blind medicine cat scoffed.

"Stupid furball." He muttered, causing Asuna to giggle.

"Okay you two, let's not fight." She meowed. _Although we've lost Leafpool, that doesn't mean she isn't watching over us. Even with her gone, we're going to keep the family we have in the medicine cat's den as close as it's always been._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_Swiftpaw quickly sidestepped as _Kirito leaped towards her, the she-cat swiveling on her paws to face the tom. She rushed towards him, the tom preparing to evade her attack. _If he's going to do the same thing before, then…_ The silver-and-white she-cat lunged to the right, but stopped in surprise when she saw the tom's shadow envelope her as he jumped over her. Confused, Swiftpaw deftly turned around, but was too late as Kirito tackled her and pinned her to the ground.

"C'mon, you know I'd never do the same move three times in a row." He meowed.

"I thought that you wouldn't do it a second time, but you did!" Swiftpaw retorted.

"Yup, which is why I didn't dodge left this time and jumped over you instead. Confused you, didn't I?"

"I'll say. I thought I'd be able to dodge in time, but I guess not." Kirito got off of the she-cat and helped her up.

"Your speed's definitely improving. I still remember how much you struggled to dodge my attacks a few moons ago when we started. Now you've dodged more than one, and even ones where I rapidly attack."

"Thanks Kirito, but I still haven't beaten you yet." She said before letting out a sigh. "But it's not fair going up against you anyway! You have so much fighting experience from SAO, and you've carried all that to fighting as a cat!" The tom chuckled.

"I'm not going to deny any of that, but don't stop trying to beat me in our sparring sessions; it's definitely a good motivator." He told her. "Ready to go back?" Swiftpaw nodded, the two now heading back to camp.

When they crossed through the thorn tunnel, they were greeted by Lelouch. He walked over to his daughter and touched noses with her.

"How'd your training go?"

"Okay. I still lost to Kirito, but he says I'm doing better every day." She brought her head closer to her father's ear. "Between you and me, I'm pretty sure he's just saying that."

"Y'know you're saying it loud enough for me to hear, right?" The she-cat giggled. "You really are improving more and more, Swiftpaw. You'll be a great warrior when the time comes." He meowed. Kirito looked over at Lelouch. "Squirrelflight hasn't gotten up yet?" The violet-eyed tom shook his head. "Hopefully Asuna's power was right. It's almost been two months ever since the incident. The fact that she's still alive means that something is keeping her in shape."

"Right. Jayfeather and the others think StarClan is keeping her unconscious as her body heals naturally." The tom meowed.

"Do you not like my dad being deputy, Kirito?" Swiftpaw asked, Kirito quickly shaking his head.

"O-Of course I do! He has so much experience leading, after all, so being deputy must be second nature to him." He replied. "C'mon, let's go get something to eat. We trained pretty well today."

"Bye, dad!" Swiftpaw pressed her head onto her father's shoulder, the tom giving her a lick to the ear. As she was walking away, Lelouch tapped her on the shoulder with his tail, causing her to turn around.

"When you brother gets back from training, I have something to tell you both."

"Is it a good thing? C'mon dad, you can tell me before you tell Foxpaw!" The she-cat meowed, causing her father to smile.

"You can wait for Foxpaw."

"Fine. C'mon Kirito, let's go eat!" Swiftpaw led the tom over to the fresh-kill pile and began searching. _I wonder what dad wants to tell me and Foxpaw. Don't tell me him and mom are expecting kits again! We're still only apprentices!_

"Hey Swiftpaw. How'd training go?" The silver-and-white she-cat broke away from her thoughts and looked over to see that it was Stemleaf.

"O-oh! Hi, Stemleaf." She stammered, her face suddenly growing hot. "Training went well! Yup!" Kirito looked over at his apprentice, a sly smile now on the tom's face. "I still haven't beaten Kirito yet, unfortunately."

"I bet. I don't think most of us could." The white-and-orange tom stated before picking up a mouse. "I'll see you both later."

"Hey, Stemleaf!" Kirito called out as the tom walked away. "If you want, you can watch us train someday."

"No!" Swiftpaw blurted. "I-I mean, I'm more concentrated when it's just us two. I'd perform badly with someone else there."

"That's understandable. I'm sure it would be amazing to watch, though." Stemleaf meowed before finding a place to eat his prey. As he was searching, Kirito felt Swiftpaw bite his right foreleg and yank it.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"You know what you were doing!" Swiftpaw yelled, the she-cat trying to keep her voice down to avoid any attention from her Clanmates. "I saw that playful look on your face that you have sometimes!"

"What? You never told me you liked Stemleaf. Since you're my apprentice, I think I should get to know that…kinda."

"Kinda is right! How does being my mentor allow you to know the cats I like in camp?" She asked.

"Okay, okay, I'm only kidding, Swiftpaw." He quickly assured to calm her down. "I won't tease you about it ever again." The she-cat scoffed.

"And hedgehogs fly!" The tom let out a smile and gave her a shove.

"You know me so well. But seriously…" Kirito picked out a mouse from the pile. "I'm a bit curious about this. This is the first time I've seen you this way about Stemleaf."

"W-Well it's none of your business to begin with anyway!" She retorted, picking up a mouse of her own.

"I know that, but…does any other cat know? Foxpaw? Nightheart?" He asked as they found a vacant spot in camp to eat together.

"Of course not! You're the first cat to know." She confessed after putting her mouse down. "Please don't tell anyone, Kirito."

"I promise, and I really mean that." He assured her before taking a bite of his mouse. A curious glint formed in the she-cat's blue eyes.

"So…how did you and my sister fall for each other?" Kirito suddenly choked when he heard the question.

"A-Are you really asking me that?" He replied after swallowing the piece of mouse. "I guess this is for teasing you, right?" She nodded, the tom letting out a sigh. "W-Well, when I started going on patrols more often, she'd usually be with me. When it came to hunting, I'd make it into a contest to see which one of us did better. At that time, I don't think I knew that she was starting to like me more than a friend." He took another bite of his mouse and swallowed before he continued. "When she died from saving me and confessed how she felt…that's when I realized that I felt the same way about her. I was more than relieved when she was alive and I told her how I felt then and there."

"Aw…I never took you for the sweet type, Kirito." The tom's face grew hot in embarrassment.

"Well, ask Asuna. She's seen that side of me more than once." He stated. "After I told her how I felt, we didn't really become mates or anything, y'know, 'cause I'm with Asuna already."

"Right. How did Asuna feel about that? She doesn't hate Nightheart, obviously."

"I don't think any cat does. Asuna was okay with it, but I knew that it wasn't something that was meant to happen. I'm not actually from this world, after all."

"But, let's say you weren't with Asuna, and you were always a warrior for ThunderClan. Would you be with Nightheart then?" The silver-and-white apprentice asked.

"Definitely. Molewhisker's lucky to have her."

"Nightheart, hi!" Swiftpaw greeted, causing Kirito to jump. He looked around and saw no sign of the violet-eyed she-cat, the tom's reaction causing the apprentice to laugh. "I can't believe you fell for it! You should've seen the look on your face!"

"C'mon, you didn't have to do that, Swiftpaw!" He meowed, giving the apprentice a small shove. "You're time as an apprentice just got extended, you know that?"

"Aw, don't be like that! I wasn't done getting you back yet." She told him. "I'm done now, though, promise."

"It sounds like you two are having fun." Suguha meowed as she and Foxpaw came to join the two. They had returned from hunting a while ago. The black she-cat sat next to her cousin, while Foxpaw sat next to his sister. "How'd training go today, Kazuto?"

"Great. Swiftpaw's improving, that's for sure." He told her. "How about you, Foxpaw? Catch anything good with Sugu today?"

"I caught a two mice, and I almost missed this blackbird, but I grabbed it right as it was flying away." The silver-and-black tabby tom replied. "I could've done a bit better today."

"You did perfect today, Foxpaw." Suguha assured her apprentice. "You both are growing so much, it's kinda surprising. I feel like we haven't been training for that long."

"Right? I remember how small you both were when you first became apprentices, but now you're almost as grown and Sugu and I. Cats definitely age quickly, that's for sure." Swiftpaw took a bite of her mouse and looked over at her brother.

"Did dad say that he wanted to tell you something when you got back from hunting?" She asked in between chews.

"Yes. I'm guessing he said that same thing to you as well when you returned back from training?" Swiftpaw nodded.

"I wonder what it could be…Hey! You're here now, so he can tell us!" Swiftpaw quickly finished her mouse, Suguha looking at her in surprise.

"Don't tell me you taught her to eat like that, Kazuto…"

"What? I never eat like that, Sugu!" The black tom stated. "She's just excited because Lelouch has something to tell them both."

"Oh, right! I can keep you piece of fresh-kill here for you, Foxpaw." The tom nodded his head in thanks and passed the thrush over to his mentor before the two approached their father.

"Okay dad, Foxpaw's here! Now can you tell us the news?"

"Alright. Now, I know your brother won't make much noise, but promise not to, Swiftpaw." She nodded. "Bramblestar spoke with me earlier today and reminded me that there would be a Gathering tonight."

"Wait! You mean…" Swiftpaw's blue eyes widened as her father nodded.

"Yeah, you both get to attend your first Gathering tonight. Make sure to be on your best behavior for Kirito and Suguha, and for the Clan's sake." The two quickly nodded, smiles on their faces. "Good. I'll see you both tonight." He gave the two licks to the ear before the returned to their mentors.

"So, what'd Lelouch say?" Suguha wondered.

"We're going to our first Gathering tonight!" Foxpaw meowed with joy.

"I'm so excited! We get to finally see all the other apprentices, oh and maybe even Lightpaw, Shadowpaw, and Pouncepaw too!" Swiftpaw added. "We haven't seen them ever since Lucina helped bring them back to the Clans. They were kits back then too, so they must be apprentices now." The she-cat let out a gasp. "Or maybe even warriors!"

"But…they're from ShadowClan. Are we allowed to see them?" Foxpaw wondered.

"Of course! Sugu and I will be with you tonight and we'll walk around, don't worry." Suguha placed her tail on her apprentice's shoulder.

"Besides, they're your cousins. You should be allowed to get to at least see some more of your family, even if they're from another Clan."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The full moon glowed radiantly above in the night sky as the ThunderClan cats made their way to the island for tonight's Gathering. Lelouch followed behind Bramblestar, the rest of the Clan behind them both.

"Thank you again for filling in for Squirrelflight, Lelouch. The Clan and I appreciate the work you've been doing." The dark tabby tom meowed.

"I'm honored to be the Clan's deputy while Squirrelflight recovers." The violet-eyed tom replied.

"You're the obvious choice, after all. Your leadership experience in your past life definitely shows in how you organize patrols. I'm a bit worried that my position as leader could be undermined someday." Bramblestar said with a chuckle.

"You've led ThunderClan exceptionally ever since the Dark Forest battle, Bramblestar. No cat has any doubt about your leadership." Lelouch responded. They reached the fallen tree bridge leading to the island, each cat walking across cautiously until they set their paws on the grassy clearing. Lelouch stayed next to the bridge, waiting to speak with Foxpaw and Swiftpaw. The two walked alongside Kirito and Suguha, Ivypool behind them.

"Dad, aren't you supposed to be with the other deputies?" Swiftpaw asked.

"I wanted to speak with you and your brother before I made my way over there." He meowed. "You both be on your best behavior for these two, okay? Your mother and I don't want to hear that you've misbehaved tonight."

"We'll be good. We mostly want to see our cousins." Foxpaw told him.

"Don't worry, we'll take good care of them." Kirito assured him.

"Right. Have fun you two." The tom gave the two apprentices a lick to the forehead before he made his way over to the Great Oak.

"Lelouch!" As he was walking, the tom turned around and saw that it was Dovewing. He closed the distance between them both, greeting the gray she-cat with a smile.

"Hey, Dovewing. How have you been?"

"Great! How's Ivypool?"

"She's doing well. How are Tigerstar and the kits?"

"They're all fine. I'm just glad no cat in ShadowClan is really treating them differently." Dovewing looked over at the group of ShadowClan cats and motioned them to come over with her tail. From the group, he saw three cats run over to them.

"Lelouch!" Lightpaw called out as she and her siblings made their way over to him. The tom touched noses with both her and her siblings when they arrived.

"Lightpaw, Pouncepaw, Shadowpaw, it's great to see you three again! You've all grown since the last time I saw you."

"Yup! We're so close to becoming warriors, too!" Pouncepaw meowed. "Well, except for Shadowpaw, but that's because he's a medicine cat."

"R-Right!" The gray tabby tom meowed. "Oh! I should get to Puddleshine now!"

"He wanted to say hi to his uncle before he left to join the medicine cats." Dovewing told him.

"Well, I'm still standing in for Squirrelflight, so I can walk him over there."

"Lucky!" Lightpaw meowed.

"You're not in a rush, are you, Shadowpaw?" Lelouch asked the tom. "There's two cats you and your sisters haven't seen in a while who have been waiting to meet you three." The violet-eyed tom looked over at where Kirito and Suguha were and waved with his tail. The two came over along with Foxpaw, Swiftpaw, and Ivypool. "You three remember Foxpaw and Swiftpaw, right?"

"Yup! They were smaller than us when we were kits." Pouncepaw meowed. "Hi you two!"

"Hi! You three are just slightly bigger than us now. Are you warriors yet?" Swiftpaw asked them.

"They're still apprentices, but they should be taking their warrior assessment soon." Dovewing told them.

"Oh, sorry for not saying hi to you first, aunt Dovewing." Foxpaw apologized, touching noses with the gray she-cat.

"You definitely remind me of your father." The she-cat said with a giggle. Swiftpaw followed her brother's example and greeted Dovewing as well. "You both don't need to worry about saying hi to me. I know how excited you all are to see each other again." Ivypool walked over to her sister and the two brushed muzzles with each other. "You must be relieved to be out of the nursery now."

"Yeah. Lelouch would sometimes watch over them, but it's finally great to be back in the warriors' den again." The silver-and-white she-cat meowed. "Have you been doing well in ShadowClan?" Dovewing nodded. "I'm glad. I know it's been a while, but I just…wish it could've been different. I miss you, Dovewing."

"I miss you too, Ivypool, more than you can believe. I just know that this was the choice I had to make." Lelouch tapped both Swiftpaw and Foxpaw with his tail to get their attention.

"Did you both want to speak with Shadowpaw for a bit? We both need to go to the Great Oak soon and join up with the deputies and medicine cats."

"You're a medicine cat apprentice? How's it like?" Foxpaw asked.

"It's a lot of learning and memorization, but I think I'm really good at it." He replied. "A lot of cats don't find it fun, but I enjoy spending time in there with Puddleshine."

"That's great. I'm sure you'll be an amazing medicine cat someday." The violet-eyed apprentice meowed.

"So, do you hunt at all or learn how to fight?" Swiftpaw wondered. "I'd assume so in case your camp gets attacked or something."

"Right. I only learned a little bit in the beginning, but I don't practice it as much as you and Foxpaw do." He replied. "I'm sure your training must be fun. You both have cats from different worlds as your mentors!" Shadowpaw glanced over at Kirito and Suguha. "Can you both use the same powers that they have?" Suguha giggled.

"If only it worked that way. Kazuto and I train them just like any other warrior would. Our powers can be used to help them train, but we can't pass anything down to them." The black she-cat explained. Shadowpaw felt a tail tap his shoulder and saw that it was his mother.

"I think you need to get going, Shadowpaw." Dovewing meowed when she noticed Puddleshine looking over at the tom.

"Sorry! It was nice seeing you both again. Hopefully we can talk soon!" Shadowpaw told them.

"I'll see you both later. Don't give your parents a hard time, okay?" He told the two she-cats. "Don't give them a hard time, either, Dovewing." The tom joked, Dovewing giving him a small shove before he left with Shadowpaw. "You haven't been jumping into any more streams lately, have you?" He asked the young medicine cat apprentice as they headed towards the Great Oak.

"Thankfully, no. All I've been doing is training with Puddleshine. My seizures haven't happened as much as they used to, either."

"Right, I remember Asuna talking about that. It must be a relief for you and your parents, huh?" Shadowpaw nodded.

"Yeah, but I don't think they're really over with, especially now that I'm training to be a medicine cat."

"You've been gifted by StarClan ever since you were a kit. There's no doubt that you're a special cat, Shadowpaw."

"D-Do you really think so, Lelouch?" The tom nodded. "Wow, coming from you, that means a lot." The young tom had been enamored with stories about Lelouch and the cats from other worlds ever since he was a kit. His siblings were the same way. Any sort of praise from him or the others made him feel overjoyed. When they reached the base of the tree, Lelouch looked down at the tom.

"Well, I'll see you later, Shadowpaw. Good luck with your medicine cat duties." The young gray tabby bowed his head in thanks before the two climbed up the Great Oak. When Lelouch reached the branch where the other deputies were, they all greeted him with a nod.

"Is Squirrelflight still not recovered?" Crowfeather asked.

"Unfortunately. Asuna says she still hasn't died yet, so hopefully it's just a matter of time before she gets better." Lelouch replied.

"Right. StarClan works in mysterious ways sometimes." Reedwhisker meowed. "Your leading experience in your past life is definitely something ThunderClan's lucky to have."

"Thanks, Reedwhisker." Lelouch looked over at Cloverfoot. "How have you been doing as deputy, Cloverfoot?"

"Tigerstar says I've been doing well. There are times where I've felt a bit overwhelmed, to be honest." She stated. "Even just thinking about becoming leader after Tigerstar is a bit too much." Hawkwing let out a chuckle.

"That just means you're growing as deputy. I remember feeling the exact same way when I was given the position." As the other deputies continued to talk with each other, Lelouch felt Crowfeather tap him on the shoulder with his tail.

"How are Lionblaze and Jayfeather? Have they been doing well since…" Lelouch quickly nodded, not wanting the tom to have to talk about Leafpool's death.

"How about you, Crowfeather?"

"I've been alright. When I first heard the news at the last Gathering, I couldn't believe it. It must have been worse for you. You saw it all happen."

"Yeah…" The violet-eyed tom's voice trailed off. "There was nothing I or any of the others could do. Squirrelflight tried, but…" Crowfeather raised his tail to silence the tom.

"Let's not dwell on this anymore. Knowing that you had the intention of helping is kind enough." The WindClan deputy stated. "I saw that you two youngest kits are at their first Gathering."

"Yeah. They're usually well-behaved. Here's hoping that tonight isn't any different for them."

Kirito and Suguha sat by Swiftpaw and Foxpaw as the two spent time talking with Lightpaw and Pouncepaw. They were happy to finally be able to talk with their cousins from ShadowClan and wanted to make the best of it before the Gathering began.

"So, what's it like having Kirito and Suguha as mentors?" Lightpaw wondered. "They're not originally Clanborn, so is it harder for you both?"

"Not really. Kirito's an amazing hunter and fighter. Everything he's taught me was learned from his world." Swiftpaw replied.

"Suguha's the same way. She learned how to hunt and fight as a cat here when she first came to this world with Kirito and Asuna, so I'm pretty sure it's like having any other warrior as a mentor." Foxpaw added.

"Oh! Suguha, can I ask you something?" Pouncepaw asked the black she-cat.

"Yes, Pouncepaw?"

"Mother says that you have the power to turn into a different she-cat. I was wondering if I could see it."

"C'mon, you don't want to see my power?" Kirito offered.

"Please, all you do is have glowing paws. They obviously want to see something cool." Suguha replied as she swiped a paw down to make her menu interface appear in front of her. With a few taps of her paw, they watched as Suguha began to glow, a white light surrounding her. They noticed the silhouette of her body begin to change, the she-cat getting taller. Once it subsided, they saw a green-eyed light ginger she-cat sitting where Suguha was.

"Whoa! You look so different, Suguha!" Lightpaw meowed, looking all around the she-cat. "So pretty, too!"

"Aw, thanks, Lightpaw. Did you want to see something else cool?" The two sisters nodded in unison. Suguha closed her eyes and began to chant her Butterfly Shield spell. Once it was done, the two ShadowClan apprentices watched as a swarm of glowing butterflies surrounded the two before a bubble shield formed. It quickly wore off after a few seconds.

"That was amazing! Can you do anything else?" Pouncepaw asked, eagerness in her meow.

"I haven't really tried. My offensive magic would be a bit of a danger in this world." She told them. Lightpaw walked over to where Kirito was.

"Can I see your glowing paws?" The tom let out a smile.

"You know, you're my favorite of Dovewing's litter now, Lightpaw." He meowed as he swiped his paw down in front of him. "Okay, watch out. These things can do some damage." The she-cat stepped back and watched the tom tap his paws on the screen in front of him. In a few seconds, Lightpaw saw the tom's forepaws becoming surrounded in a bright pointed aura, a black aura on his right forepaw, and an aqua aura on his left.

"So…what does it do?" Pouncepaw asked, joining her sister.

"They enhance my combat. I've only had to use it once in this world. I don't really see myself using them again, to be honest." He told them before making the aura wear off. "Why don't you both speak with Foxpaw and Swiftpaw some more. You won't get this chance a lot, after all."

"Aw, someone's sounding a bit sentimental." Suguha teased, a small blush on her cousin's face. "Kazuto's right, though. We're just here to watch them both, after all." They both nodded and turned their attention back to Foxpaw and Swiftpaw.

"You both are so lucky to have them as mentors!" Lightpaw meowed. "Especially you, Swiftpaw. Kirito's, well…" The brown tabby looked back at the black tom, a sudden blush forming on her face.

"You like him?" Pouncepaw asked her sister.

"He's so cool, and handsome, too. Do you not feel the same way, Swiftpaw?" The silver-and-white she-cat was taken aback by the question.

"M-Me? I know he's awesome, but I don't have feelings for him or anything! He's just a silly furball most of the time. He's a mentor and a rival more than anything. Besides, he's Asuna's mate!" Swiftpaw meowed. "How about you, Foxpaw? Do you prefer Suguha how she usually looks, or when she looks older?"

"W-Well she's the same cat, regardless. She's a great mentor either way." Lightpaw let out a small giggle.

"Someone's avoiding the question." She meowed. "Do you have feelings for Suguha, Foxpaw?" The tom's face began to grow hot at the question. He took a quick glance at his mentor, the she-cat noticing and letting out a kind smile. _Do I like Suguha...more than a mentor? No, she's just a really nice and supportive mentor, that's all. Besides, she and Alderheart are together…sort of._

"N-No. Suguha's just a very great mentor that I'm lucky to have." The tom answered. Before the three could question him again, a yowl was heard from Bramblestar, signaling that the Gathering was about to begin.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Asuna sat down in the medicine cat's den alone, the she-cat looking through the herb storage. She had let Jayfeather and Alderheart go to tonight's Gathering and offered to stay behind. She mostly wanted to continue watching over Squirrelflight, especially since she was the only one of them that could monitor her condition. She looked over at the unconscious deputy, her eyes filled with concern. _It's been two months ever since she's been like this. Could it be just like what happened with Lelouch, but instead with StarClan having some sort of control over her?_ She wondered. Her hazel eyes glowed and she looked at the she-cat. _She's still alive, but her hunger and thirst are normal and not low at all? Does StarClan really have the power to control a cat's vitals like that? If so…why couldn't they save Leafpool as well?_ Asuna wiped her eyes with a paw, the memory of the ThunderClan medicine cat still being too much for her to bear.

"Asuna?" The she-cat looked over at the entrance to the den and saw that it was Lionblaze. "Sorry if you're busy."

"N-No, it's okay, Lionblaze. Did you need anything?" She asked. The tom shook his head.

"I just wanted to see how Squirrelflight was doing. Can I come in?"

"Please do." She meowed, the golden tom entering the medicine cat's den. She could sense the pain in the tom's eyes as he looked down at the deputy. "You must be going through so much still, huh?"

"Yeah…" The tom's voice trailed off. "Leafpool was my mother, but Squirrelflight stood in for her to protect her and raised us. I'm still not over losing Leafpool…and I don't know if I'd get over that if I lost Squirrelflight as well." He said. "You were really close to Leafpool, Asuna. I'm sure you're hurting still as well, right?" She nodded.

"It's not as bad as it was days later when it happened, but I do still miss her." The cream she-cat said.

"Me too. I just hope she's forgiven me for all the rotten things I said to her before."

"Of course she has, Lionblaze. She loved you, Jayfeather, and Hollyleaf so much, I just know it." Asuna reassured him.

"You're probably right. Thanks, Asuna." The she-cat let out a gentle smile. "Is Squirrelflight feeling better?" She shook her head.

"I'm not sure. All I can see is that she's still alive. It's up to StarClan to decide when to bring her back to us." As she said that, she heard a small groan from Squirrelflight's nest and looked over at. She saw Squirrelflight slowly open her eyes as she awoke. "Squirrelflight!" Asuna and Lionblaze both helped the deputy up. "How are you feeling? Are you okay?"

"I think so." She meowed. "H-How long have I been in here."

"Almost two moons." Lionblaze informed her. "What happened? Do you remember anything? Anything at all?"

"I was in StarClan. Leafpool was there with me as well, along with Firestar and Sandstorm." She stated. "I still don't understand everything that happened, to be honest." She meowed. "I just…wish I was able to save Leafpool."

"Squirrelflight…" Asuna pressed close to the deputy to console her. "She sacrificed her life to save you. I'm sure she talked to you about it while you were in StarClan." She nodded.

"Insisting that still doesn't take away the pain I'm still feeling about it." She looked around the den. "Where's Jayfeather and Alderheart?"

"There was a Gathering tonight." Lionblaze meowed. "Lelouch has been filling in for you while you were here."

"Well, at least I know my role was in good paws." She said with a small laugh. "Has anything else happened while I was asleep?"

"Nothing major, other than the usual toils that come with leaf-bare." The golden tom meowed.

"I see." Squirrelflight's nose twitched as she scented Bramblestar and the rest of the cats who had went to the Gathering. She made her way out of the medicine cat's den alongside Asuna and Lionblaze. At the sight of his mate, Bramblestar stopped.

"Squirrelflight..." He meowed, relief coating his meow. He approached the she-cat, Squirrelflight pressing her head under the tom's chin. "I'm so glad to see that you're alright."

"I'm sorry for any worry that I caused." She apologized, the tom shaking her head.

"We know it's a miracle that you're still with us. We're all just happy that you've finally recovered."

"Mother!" Alderheart ran over to the she-cat and pressed close to her. "Thank StarClan you're okay!"

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Alderheart. Where's your sister?"

"In the nursery." Squirrelflight looked at the tom in surprise.

"What?!" She turned to look at Lionblaze. "You said nothing major happened! My daughter expecting kits is definitely a major event!"

"O-Oh! Right, sorry, Squirrelflight." The tom quickly apologized. Lelouch made his way over to where they were and dipped his head to greet the deputy.

"It's great to see that you're alright, Squirrelflight."

"Thank you, Lelouch. I'd also like to thank you for standing in for me as deputy again. At this point, I think I should retire early so you can take the role." She joked, the tom letting out a small chuckle.

"As much as I wouldn't mind, you fill the role just as well, Squirrelflight." The she-cat let out a smile.

"So, what exactly happened, Squirrelflight?" Jayfeather asked. "It's obvious that StarClan intervened in a way, but none of us have ever seen something like this happen before."

"I… don't remember, to be honest." She meowed. "All I know was that my parents and sister were there with me. Everything other than that is a blank." The blind tom tilted his head in confusion.

"Regardless of how it happened, we're all relieved that you're alright." Bramblestar meowed. "Let's all get some rest for tomorrow, everyone. You too, if two moons wasn't enough." The deputy gave her mate a playful shove. Asuna looked at the two with a smile. _Even though they're leader and deputy, it's cute seeing them bond like a couple normally would. Still…I'm curious as to what StarClan did to allow Squirrelflight to recover. They could've done what they did to save Briarlight at the time, and maybe even heal Leafpool as well…so why didn't they? Could Squirrelflight be destined for something in the future?_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_Snow coated the forest floor_ as Suguha and Foxpaw were out to practice hunting. It was now leaf-bare, and it was more important than ever to look for prey. The two looked around, trying their best to catch any sort of scent that they could.

"Do you sense anything, Foxpaw?" The she-cat asked her apprentice.

"Not yet. I don't see any sort of paw prints in the snow, either." He replied. "Maybe we need to search someplace else?"

"Okay. From all the times we've went out hunting, where do you think we should go?"

"Near the abandoned Twoleg nest just north of camp. I'm sure that now more than ever some prey must be seeking shelter there." The she-can nodded.

"Great thinking, Foxpaw. Let's go check it out." The two trudged through the snow for a while until they finally reached their destination. Pride filled Foxpaw when he was quickly able to catch the scent of prey. _Rabbit, and it's close by._ He looked around for any sign of movement in the snow. _It'll easily blend in with the snow, so I need to look carefully…there!_ Hopping slowly in the snow was the rabbit. _It's a great size, too. Sparkpelt, Sorrelstripe, and their kits will definitely appreciate it._ Foxpaw slowly began to creep up on the rabbit, but as he did, an unfamiliar scent caught his attention. He stopped, but shook it off. _This prey matters more._ He told himself as he continued to creep up on the prey. When he was close enough, he pounced, claws unsheathed. With a quick slash, he killed the rabbit, it's blood now coating the white snow.

"Great catch, Foxpaw! The way you were able to find that rabbit in the snow was amazing!" Suguha praised him.

"Yes, it was a great catch." Foxpaw looked over at the abandoned Twoleg nest and saw a dark tabby tom walk out. He had a torn right ear, and a menacing look in his eyes. "And it belongs to us now." Suguha and Foxpaw looked around and saw two other cats surround them, a gray tabby tom with blue eyes and a ginger tom with green eyes. _I knew I sensed something!_ The two tried backing away, but the three cats closed in on them.

_How could I be so careless and not realize that there were rogues around here?_ Suguha told herself. She looked over at Foxpaw, worry in the tom's violet eyes.

"Foxpaw, on three, we'll run." Suguha whispered. "One…two…three!" Suguha darted away, and Foxpaw tried to follow behind her, but the ginger tom was faster and grabbed him by the scruff.

"Suguha!" The apprentice cried out. The black she-cat turned around, fear in her eyes.

"Let him go!" She yelled. "You can have the rabbit, but just let him go, please!" She begged.

"Okay, we'll let him go…but you'll come with us instead." The dark tabby tom meowed, Foxpaw still struggling to break free of the rogue's grasp. "We could use a she-cat in these desperate times." The apprentice watched his mentor's paws begin to shake.

"F-Fine." The tabby tom walked over to Suguha and gave her a lick to the muzzle, causing her to flinch.

"Let him go!" The rogue leader commanded. The ginger rogue holding Foxpaw tossed him aside, the tom landing softly onto the snow.

"Suguha!" He called out as she watched her walk with the rogues. The leader pushed her down into the snow, the she-cat trying to get up. Rage filled Foxpaw, the apprentice blindly running towards the rogues. He was easily knocked aside by the gray tabby, blood now dripping down from his shoulder from a fresh wound.

"Foxpaw, get out of here!" Suguha called out. "D-Don't look…please." She begged softly as the three toms now surrounded her.

"I'm sure a beautiful cat such as yourself probably has done this plenty of times before." The dark tabby tom told her, giving her another lick to the cheek, this time, his tongue traveling down the she-cat's neck.

"N-No…stop…please." The she-cat begged. Foxpaw stood there, frozen. He couldn't just leave Suguha behind. "Foxpaw…go." Suguha mewed, tears falling from her eyes. _This is all my fault! If I hadn't suggested that we go here, Suguha wouldn't be in trouble. Because of me…because I neglected the presence of another cat while I was hunting…I put my mentor in danger. She doesn't deserve any of this! I'm weak. I can't save her…one of the cats that mean so much to me!_ His paws shook as he looked on in horror. _I want to save her…I have to!_

_Is that what you desire? To save your mentor from the rogues?_ Time seemed to suddenly stop once Foxpaw heard the mysterious female voice. His surroundings seemed to change, a dark moonlit meadow now around him.

"Yes, please! Help me save Suguha! That's all I can ask for. Just…please…"

_Foxpaw…you've been born with the power to protect those you care for…much like your older sister._

"Like Nightheart?" _Could she be talking about…Geass?_ He wondered.

_Yes, now awaken your power, Foxpaw! Do it to protect those that you cherish! _Foxpaw snapped back into reality, a new surge of confidence now filling the tom. He slowly walked towards the rogues, blood still dripping from his shoulder. The three of them seemed to stop and looked over at Foxpaw.

"You couldn't just listen to her, could you?" The tabby asked as he approached Foxpaw. He was now face-to-face with the apprentice. "What are you going to do against three full grown cats?"

"I'm going to make you three regret ever laying a paw on her!" He yelled. The three cats looked at him in surprise as the tom's right eye suddenly changed. Foxpaw now stood and watched as the three toms now screamed in horror as they fell to the ground, their bodies shaking. Foxpaw looked over at Suguha, relieved that they didn't get too far with her. _Suguha's…okay. I'm…glad._ The tom's body slowly rocked back and forth before he fainted, his unconscious body lying in the cold snow.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

_Foxpaw, Foxpaw, please wake up!_ The silver-and black tabby's violet eyes slowly opened and he saw that it was Ivypool calling out to him. "Oh thank StarClan you're okay!" She meowed with relief as she pressed close to the tom. He looked around and saw that he was now in the medicine cat's den. He saw Lelouch was next to him as well, concern filling his violet eyes. _Did Suguha tell him what happened?_

"W-Where's Suguha? She's okay, right?" He asked the others.

"She's alright. She brought you all the way back here." Alderheart told her. "Those toms…I'll kill them!" The medicine cat spat in anger.

"We all want that, believe me." Asuna stated. "Foxpaw, is your shoulder feeling better?"

"I…I think so." He meowed, trying to get up. Pain immediately flowed through him and he quickly rested back down. _I don't remember it hurting this much._

"Just get some rest. You'll need to be here for a while." Lelouch told him. The brambles leading into the medicine cat's den parted, Suguha walking through.

"Thank god you're okay!" Tears filled the she-cat's eyes as she pressed close to Foxpaw. "I'm so sorry for putting you in danger, Foxpaw! I should've been paying more attention."

"N-No, it's my fault, Suguha. If I hadn't suggested we go there…this wouldn't have happened." He meowed. "Because of me, you were in danger, and…I'm sorry." He meowed, wiping his violet eyes with a paw.

"It was those dumb rogues on our territory. You both should've been more careful, but I'm sure you both were focused in hunting for the Clan." Jayfeather meowed.

"Foxpaw!" Swiftpaw broke through the den, Kirito and Nightheart following behind. "You're okay!" The silver-and-white she-cat pressed close to her brother. "When I saw Suguha carry you in camp…I was so worried!" He could feel his sister begin to cry into his coat.

"Suguha told us what happened and how you saved her. You're a hero, Foxpaw." Kirito meowed. The violet-eyed tom looked at his sister, her violet eyes cold, almost emotionless. He then remembered what the voice told him. _Power like Nightheart's._

"Foxpaw." He turned to face his father. "Suguha told us how you saved her. She also said that…she saw the symbol of Geass in your right eye." Kirito and Swiftpaw looked at the tom in surprise. "Can you show it to me? Please." The tom nodded and Lelouch watched as his right violet eye changed, now manifesting the power of Geass. "Just like your sister." He looked over at Nightheart before looking back at his son. "How did it happen?" Foxpaw deactivated his Geass.

"I…I didn't want to leave Suguha alone. I wanted to save her, father. Everything seemed to stop, and I heard a voice speak to me. It sounded like it was from a she-cat. After she spoke to me, I felt like I was able to protect her. I looked over at them, and they seemed to fall to the ground in fear. After that…I lost consciousness."

"The three of them seemed to faint due to fear." Suguha stated.

"The voice that spoke to you…it had to have been C.C." Lelouch said. "Nightheart…did C.C. speak to you as well before you saved Kirito?" The she-cat nodded.

"Yes, father. I didn't know it was her before that, but once we met, I realized she was the one I heard." She meowed.

"But…you told me that it couldn't be passed down. If Nightheart has it…and Foxpaw does as well, does that mean you were able to pass it to your kin, Lelouch?" Ivypool asked.

"It has to be." He looked over at Swiftpaw. "Have you heard any voices talking to you?"

"I wish! How come Nightheart and Foxpaw get Geass and I don't?" The silver-and-white apprentice complained. Lelouch turned his attention back to Foxpaw.

"Foxpaw, we need to figure out what your Geass does. From what I can guess, you seem to have the power to strike fear into any cat that you look at, and it seems that you can choose who it affects if Suguha was able to see that you had it." He meowed. "Regardless, Geass isn't a power you can just flaunt around and use as you see fit. I know that I don't need to tell you this, but only use it when it's absolutely necessary."

"Yes, father." Lelouch gave his son a comforting lick to the ear, Ivypool doing the same.

"Lelouch and I will check on you later." His mother meowed as they both got up.

"Nightheart and I will come, too!" Swiftpaw added.

"Okay, let's let him rest for a bit." Alderheart meowed. The other cats left, except for Suguha. She walked over to Foxpaw and gave him a kiss on the cheek, the tom's face growing warm.

"Thank you for saving me, Foxpaw. You're the best apprentice I could have ever asked for." The black she-cat left the medicine cat's den, Asuna touching Alderheart's shoulder with her tail.

"Don't be jealous. She still likes you." A blush formed on the tom's face.

"O-Of course I'm not jealous! If anything I'm grateful that he saved her." He meowed. "But I don't think I'd mind if there was something between them. I'm a medicine cat, after all." The tom walked over to where Foxpaw was resting. "How's your shoulder feeling?"

"It still hurts. I don't think I'll be able to walk normally for a while." The apprentice told him.

"The wound was pretty deep. I'm sure it was a lot for you to go through." Asuna stated. "Just tell any of us if it's bothering you, or if you need anything, okay?" The silver and black tabby nodded. _Geass…I never thought that such a power would ever be given to me. Could this mean that I'm destined to do more than just become a warrior?_

Nightheart left the medicine cat's den, the she-cat making her way towards the camp exit. As she was walking, Molewhisker caught up to her.

"Hey, how's—." The tom stopped when he saw an empty look in his mate's eyes. "Nightheart, are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm just going out, Molewhisker."

"Do you want me to—."

"No!" She snapped. "I want to be alone." The brown and cream tom nodded, his ears flat.

"Okay. Be safe out there." He gave her a lick to the ear before she left. As he watched her leave camp, he was approached by his sister, Cherryfall.

"That's the first time I've ever seen Nightheart yell at anyone ever since she was an apprentice." The ginger she-cat meowed. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah. She probably just needs some alone time." He meowed.

"Well, you're her mate, so don't you think you should be out there comforting her?"

"Do you think she'll get mad if I do?"

"You won't know unless you try. She's always been a sweet cat, so I'm sure you'll be able to get to her." The tom nodded. _Cherryfall's right. Nightheart's probably in a dark spot right now, so I need to try to help the cat I love in any way possible._ Molewhisker thanked his sister before he followed Nightheart's tracks. He caught onto her scent trail traveling north and followed it. He saw the black she-cat in the distance minutes later and ran over to her. Nightheart's ears twitched and she quickly turned around when she caught the tom's scent.

"Molewhisker, what are you doing here?!" She asked, her voice filled with frustration.

"I'm here to help you." He meowed. "I know you told me that you wanted to be alone…but I couldn't just do nothing."

"Yes, you can. Please, I'm fine!" She assured him as she kept walking.

"No, just let me help you!" He meowed.

"Molewhisker, I already—."

"I don't care. You know how much I love you, Nightheart. You're not acting like yourself, and you know it!"

"If you love me then for now just forget about me and leave me alone!" She spat before she turned around and continued walking away. The tom did nothing but stay silent before turning around to make his way back to camp.

Nightheart trudged through the snow, ignoring any of the cold weather around her. _I can't let him see me do this…I can't let the cat I love see me turn into a monster…_ She told herself as she made her way towards the abandoned Twoleg den. Immediately, unfamiliar scents filled the she-cat's nose. _They're here._ Nightheart walked towards the front of the den and sat down. "I know you're in there. Come out, now!" She commanded. A dark tabby, a gray tabby, and a ginger tom walked out of the den, a menacing look in their eyes.

"What do we have here?" The dark tabby walked over to her before circling around her. "It's not every day we get she-cats looking for us."

"This will be the last day that ever happens." Nightheart meowed coldly. "I'll never forgive you for what you did to my best friend and my brother!"

"Oh, that runt is your brother? We only recovered from whatever he did to us minutes ago." The tom meowed. "Nightmares like that…" The tom hit the snow with a paw. "Since you're his kin, I think killing his older sister will be enough revenge."

"You three can try, but I promise that none of you are leaving here alive."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Lelouch sat near the entrance to camp waiting for Nightheart and Molewhisker to come back. He had seen how his daughter yelled at his mate and wanted to see if the two were okay. He saw the brown and cream tom walk through the thorn tunnel leading to camp and headed over to speak with him.

"Molewhisker, where's Nightheart?"

"Nightheart? Who's that?" He asked.

"I'm serious. If you and her are fighting, you can at least tell me where she is."

"Lelouch, I'm being honest, I have no idea who you're talking about." He replied. Lelouch looked at him, concern filling his eyes when he noticed a red ring around the tom's amber eyes. It soon disappeared. "I'll talk to you later." _Did…Nightheart really use Geass to make Molewhisker forget about her?_ The tom made his way over to the warriors' den where Ivypool was resting.

"Hey, I'm gonna go out to speak with Nightheart."

"Is she okay?" Ivypool asked, concern in her voice.

"She should be. She's done something by accident, I'm pretty sure. I'll talk to you about it later." He meowed.

"Be safe out there." She replied, giving the tom a kiss on the cheek before he left camp. Lelouch caught his daughter's faint scent trail and followed it. It slowly became stronger as he followed it north. _What could she be…_ The tom suddenly broke out into a run once he realized why his daughter actually left camp. When he reached the abandoned Twoleg den, his violet eyes went wide in horror. Blood coated the white snow below the ground where his daughter was standing. Three dead cats were in front of her, the crimson substance seeping out of their necks.

"Nightheart…" The tom called out as he approached her. She turned around, blood coating the she-cat's muzzle and claws. Her violet eyes were immediately filled with fear at the sight of her father.

"Father, don't look at me!" She pleaded. "I was the only one who was supposed to know what happened here, but now…you know how much of a monster you daughter really is."

"I'd never think that. Come over here." She made her way over to Lelouch, blood coating every pawstep she made. Once she was close enough, she pressed her head into her father's shoulder and began to cry.

"I killed them, father! T-They hurt Foxpaw…and they tried to rape Suguha! I used my Geass to fulfill my own dark intentions...and…"

"I understand why you did it, Nightheart. It doesn't make you a monster. I've used my Geass to kill as well, many times, in fact."

"But...the warrior code states that no warrior should kill unless it's absolutely necessary. I'm worried about what StarClan might do to me."

"Don't be. What you did was to protect any ThunderClan cats that come over here. They should've left after what your brother did, but if you found them here, then obviously they weren't the brightest to begin with." Lelouch looked over at the three dead cats. "Regardless…using your Geass in such a way can be dangerous. I know you were overflowing with hatred and anger, but you can't let it control you, especially when you have the power to control anyone."

"Yes, father." The she-cat meowed, avoiding the tom's violet gaze. He gave her a comforting lick to the ear.

"Everything will be okay, Nightheart. We'll keep this between the both of us, okay? I don't want you getting in trouble for what you did." The she-cat nodded. "Good. I'll go bury the three and try to hide any evidence. You go clean yourself off."

Lelouch and Nightheart made their way back to camp, the two washing off any trace or scent of blood on their fur. As they were walking, Lelouch stopped his daughter.

"Nightheart…there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it? Is it about the cats?"

"No. It's about Molewhisker."

"What happened? Did I hurt him too much by yelling at him?" Worry filled the she-cat's voice. The tom shook his head.

"When you last spoke to him, did you tell him to forget about you?" She nodded.

"I just didn't want him to follow me and see what I was going to do. Did he tell you that I said that?"

"No, but…" Lelouch let out a sigh. "I should just tell you. Nightheart, when you told him that…you might have accidentally activated you Geass in frustration." The she-cat let out a gasp.

"W-What? No…I'd never command him to do something like that!"

"I know. Like I said, I think you activated it completely by accident." Her father meowed. "Something similar to this has happened to me before, Nightheart, but instead of on accident, I did it on purpose."

"W-Why?"

"Because I hurt someone that meant a lot to me. To take that pain away, I told her to forget about me. She…was really fond of me before I used it, but she fell in love with me again." He explained. "What you did to Molewhisker was an accident, but that doesn't mean you both can't be mates anymore. Just act like you've never met him before when you see him."

"I…I don't know if I can, father."

"You have to. You lost Molewhisker, and he's lost you but doesn't realize it. You can't just let him live like that." The tom meowed. "It's possible that spending time with you can break the Geass you put on him."

"Really?"

"Yes. Either way, spending time with him will allow you to make things the way they were." He told her. "Let's get going back to camp so you can talk to him."

When the two arrived back at camp, Lelouch led Nightheart over to the warriors' den. As he was walking, the she-cat suddenly stopped. Lelouch could see the fear in his daughter's eyes from seeing what her mistake had done.

"I'll go get him, it'll be okay, I promise." He assured her. When he entered the warriors' den, he saw that Molewhisker was talking with Kirito.

"Hey, is Molewhisker alright?" He asked the tom.

"I'm fine. You all are bringing up Nightheart as if I should know you. You all do, but apparently I don't." The brown-and-cream tom meowed. Ivypool looked over at her mate.

"Did you find her?"

"Yeah. She accidently used Geass to make him forget her." He meowed softly.

"What? That's horrible! Is she okay?"

"She's scared to see him like this." _Honestly, she seems more scared about this than when I found her near the abandoned house._ "But it's something she needs to do." Lelouch turned to face Molewhisker. "Come meet Nightheart, Molewhisker."

"Right now? She's here?" He asked, Lelouch nodding his head. "Okay." The tom followed him out of the warriors' den and the two walked over to where Nightheart was. The she-cat looked over at the tom and immediately averted her gaze away from him. "Molewhisker, this is Nightheart."

"Hi, I'm Molewhisker. It's nice to meet you, Nightheart."

"It's…nice to meet you as well." She said inaudibly. "I'm sorry father, I can't do this." Molewhisker looked at her in surprise.

"Wait, she's your daughter, Lelouch?!" He asked in surprise. "Since when did you have an older daughter?" The tom looked over at her. "Everyone says that we're mates…but I don't even know her."

"Because I used my Geass to make you forget about me, Molewhisker!" Nightheart told him. "I didn't mean for it to happen, I'd never want something like that to happen! We haven't been mates for long…but I know I don't want that to go away." She wiped her eyes with a paw. "I'm…I'm sorry, Molewhisker." The tom's amber gaze grew soft.

"If I'm the only one who's forgotten, then it must be true, right?" He meowed. "I just…don't think I can push myself into that all of a sudden…but we can be friends, Nightheart. Maybe we can be mates eventually." The she-cat nodded and pressed her head below the tom's chin, causing him to blush. "Um…a bit of space would be nice, Nightheart, at least for now."

"Sorry!" She quickly apologized as she stepped away. The tom saw the tiara on top of the she-cat's head.

"Isn't that Lucina's?" The she-cat nodded.

"She gave it to me to remember her by." Nightheart explained.

"Why don't you both get to know each other more over a piece of fresh-kill?" Lelouch suggested.

"That's not a bad idea. You don't mind, right?" Molewhisker asked, Nightheart shaking her head.

"Not at all." The two made their way over to the fresh-kill pile, Lelouch watching as they did. _Nightheart, today you've gotten to understand the dangerous power of the Geass that I gave you. I wish that I didn't bestow such a strong power to you, but it was the only way for me to keep you alive that day. If Molewhisker doesn't regain his memory, please forgive me._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Nightheart made her way over to the medicine cat's den to check on Foxpaw. It had been a few sunrises ever since he was brought back to camp by Suguha, she and the others now learning about his Geass. _I've kept it to myself…but I can't keep it to myself and father any longer._ Lately, the she-cat had been waking up in the middle of the night, haunted by her own dark actions the day she murdered the three rogues with the simple command of her Geass. It sometimes was so bad that she found herself needing to rush out of camp to vomit, the grotesque scene she created still fresh in her mind. She peeked inside of the medicine cat's den and saw that Alderheart was tending to Foxpaw's wound.

"Does it feel better?" The dark ginger tabby asked.

"Yes. Thank you, Alderheart." The tom's violet eyes looked behind the tom and he saw Nightheart. "Oh, sister, good morning."

"Good morning to you as well, Foxpaw." She walked over and greeted her brother with a lick to the ear. "Are you able to walk yet?"

"Almost. I think I need to stay here for one more day." He meowed. "Jayfeather doesn't mind, right, Alderheart?"

"Of course not! I know cats here give me a bad reputation, but I'm not that cruel, Foxpaw." The blind medicine cat meowed. "I'd rather have you here until you're fully healed than have you hurt yourself agitating your wound." The young tabby tom let out a smile before looking back at his sister.

"How's Molewhisker doing?"

"He still doesn't remember that we're mates." Nightheart meowed, letting out a sigh. "I don't know if he ever will, but I have to keep trying." She tapped Alderheart's shoulder with her tail. "Are you done dressing his wound? I'd like to speak with Foxpaw privately."

"Oh, yeah, it's all done." Alderheart stepped away from him, allowing Nightheart to rest down next to her brother.

"Is something wrong?" The tom asked, Nightheart shaking her head.

"No. There's something I need to tell you…about your Geass." She meowed, the tom looking at her with curiosity in his violet eyes. "Your Geass has the power to inflict nightmares to whatever cat you look at. I assume what they see varies on what they believe is their worst nightmare."

"Really? It sounds…dangerous." He stated. "How do you know what my Geass does, Nightheart?" The she-cat looked around her. She had to tell him what happened.

"Promise that you won't say anything…please?" Foxpaw nodded. "I went to look for those tom who attacked you and Suguha after she brought you back here. They told me that they suffered from nightmares because of your Geass."

"Wait…you went to see them? Where are they now?" Nightheart paused. She broke her violet gaze away from her brother's own.

"I killed them." The she-cat whispered. Foxpaw's eyes went wide with shock.

"What? Why?"

"Because they hurt two cats I care about deeply. I couldn't let them continue and possibly hurt anyone else." She told him. "With the Geass father gave me…I took their lives away with a simple look. This burden is mine to bear. Father found me after I did it, so he's the only other cat that knows. Please Foxpaw, don't tell anyone else."

"I promise, Nightheart." He meowed. "I'm sorry that you had to do something like that."

"Don't be. I chose to do what I did." She told him. "I hope you feel better soon, Foxpaw." The she-cat gave the tom a lick to the ear before leaving the den. As she walked out, she bumped into her father, the tom about to check on Foxpaw.

"Good morning, Nightheart. Did you just go in to check on your brother?" She nodded. "Is he doing well?"

"He's getting better." She meowed. "Father?"

"Yes?"

"I…I told Foxpaw what I did."

"What? Why would you do that?"

"Because I couldn't keep it to myself. Day after day I've gotten up in the middle of the night haunted by what I did. The blood I spilled…the impulse to kill in my mind…" Lelouch pulled his daughter close to console her.

"It's the first time you've used your Geass that way. Hopefully it's not a sight you'll see again. I'd rather you not get used to seeing things like that, Nightheart." He meowed. "If it's really bothering you, you can always use your Geass on yourself to forget about it…but there could be a time where you might want to use it a different way."

"Right. This is just something that will end up going away eventually." The tom nodded.

"Were you going to tell anyone else about it?" He asked, but she didn't respond. "Suguha?"

"M-Most likely. I don't think I can tell mother, and I can't tell Swiftpaw either."

"But you told your brother…because he's the reason you did it, right?" She nodded.

"Also because I figured out what his Geass is. The rogue leader told me that day. I just have been preoccupied with trying to help Molewhisker."

"Understandable. It's the power to make cats see their nightmares, correct?" Nightheart looked at her father in surprise.

"How'd you know?"

"Do you forget who your father is?" The tom said with a chuckle. "I've been thinking about it ever since we found out about Foxpaw's Geass. That's also why I intended to check up on him right now, but I assume you've told him about it already?" Nightheart nodded. "Good." Lelouch gave the she-cat a lick to the ear. "If what you did is still in your head after a while, don't hesitate to come see me, Nightheart, okay?"

"Yes father. Thank you." The tom let out a gentle smile before entering the medicine cat's den.

"Hey, Nightheart." The she-cat turned around and saw that it was Fernsong. "I wanted to wait until you were done talking with Lelouch. Did you want to go out hunting with me?"

"I'd love to." The she-cat followed the yellow tom out into the forest after getting Squirrelflight's permission. _Maybe this will help keep my mind off of everything._

"So, where did you want to hunt? I know there's a lot of prey by the abandoned—."

"No!" She quickly snapped, the tom looking at her in worry. "I'm sorry, Fernsong. It's just…that's where Suguha and my brother…"

"Oh StarClan, I'm sorry for suggesting that we go there!" He apologized. "We can just hunt around near our border with SkyClan." The she-cat nodded and the two began to trudge through the snow in search of prey. "I'm really sorry for not realizing that, Nightheart. I didn't mean to bring it back up or anything."

"It's okay, Fernsong. We've been friends for so long, after all."

"Right…" The tom's voice trailed off, Nightheart looking over at him.

"Is something wrong?"

"N-No, I'm fine." He assured her. "So, hunting, right? Let's go!"

The pair tried their best hunting in the cold weather together, but they weren't able to find as much prey as they would have during any other time of year. Nightheart caught a pair of mice, while Fernsong was lucky and was able to find a rabbit.

"I'm sure that catch is equivalent to ten of mine in this weather. Nice job, Fernsong." The she-cat meowed.

"Thanks, Nightheart. I just got lucky, that's all." He replied. "Let's get going back to camp. I'm sure the others would appreciate some prey right now." As the two were walking, Fernsong looked over at the she-cat. "How's Molewhisker doing? Does he remember anything yet?" He asked, his voice muffled by the rabbit he was carrying.

"Not yet."

"Well, have you made him fall in love with you again?" The she-cat shook her head. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's my fault this happened, anyway. It was an accident, and now StarClan's making me pay for it."

"You don't deserve that at all, Nightheart. You've worked so hard ever since we were apprentices."

"Yeah, because someone here couldn't stop teasing me and challenging me all the time." She retorted, giving the tom a small push. "But I might not have become the warrior I was today if it wasn't for you, Fernsong." The yellow tom's face began to grow hot from the she-cat's compliment. He dropped his prey so he could speak to the she-cat clearly.

"I think it's more of you wanting to be like Lelouch than it was me. I was just being a real fox-heart at the time, especially since I knew he was your father, too." He stated. "Sorry for all that back then. I know I apologized before, but just thinking about it now makes me feel bad."

"You don't have to. It's in the past." She assured him.

"Alright, I'll try to not apologize about it ever again." The she-cat giggled. "I hope Molewhisker gets his memory back again, Nightheart. He's really missing out on being with such a sweet and beautiful cat."

"F-Fernsong, please…" Nightheart turned her violet gaze away from the tom in embarrassment.

"But it's true." Nightheart could see that the tom was flustered, but he continued. "He's lucky to have you as a mate, Nightheart. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous of him." Nightheart looked at the tom in surprise. _W-What? Is Fernsong really…_

"D-Do you mean that…" A blush formed on the she-cat's face. Fernsong nodded.

"Y-Yeah. I like you, Nightheart. I wish I told you how I felt sooner…but I thought you always only saw us as friends." He confessed. "M-Maybe it was because of all the teasing I did back then too that made me feel like you wouldn't feel the same way, not that it matters anymore, anyway."

"Fernsong, I…"

"Don't even worry about it. I just…wanted to say what I was too late to tell you before, Nightheart." He meowed. "I-I'm not just saying it now because of what happened to Molewhisker, by the way! I'm happy for him and hope you both become mates again. This just has been bothering me for a while and I wanted to get it off of my chest. I know I'm no Kirito or Molewhisker, but…" Nightheart silenced the tom with a kiss on the cheek, Fernsong looking at her in surprise.

"I would've said yes if you asked me, Fernsong."

"What? Y-You're serious?" The violet-eyed she-cat nodded.

"Unlike those two, we've been friends for such a long time. You weren't exactly my favorite cat when we were apprentices in the beginning, but you changed for the better. I was glad that we finally became friends after all the teasing." The tom let out a smile.

"Thanks, Nightheart. Just knowing that you would've said yes is enough for me." He said. "N-Nothing's weird between us now, right?" The she-cat shook her head, Fernsong letting out a sigh of relief. "Thank StarClan. That's what I was worried about the most." He picked up his rabbit. "We should get back to camp. I don't think confessing how I felt in this weather was the best idea I've had in a while." Nightheart let out a small laugh before she picked up her mice and made her way back to camp with the tom. _If I can't get Molewhisker to fall in love with me again…would it be wrong to take Fernsong as my mate instead? No, it wouldn't be fair to Molewhisker, especially since it's my fault that he's forgotten about me. I have to keep trying, or find a way to remove the Geass that I've placed on him…but is such a thing possible?_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Suguha walked over to the fresh-kill pile after waking up. She picked up a mouse from the diminishing pile and rested down on the snow-covered stone floor of the camp. For the past few days she had been distant from every cat in camp, even her cousin and Asuna. The only time she ever talked was when she checked up on Foxpaw to see how he was doing every day. As she was eating, she saw Nightheart and Fernsong enter camp, prey in their jaws. After dropping their catches off in the fresh-kill pile, Nightheart walked over to Suguha.

"Hi, Suguha. Did you just get up?" She asked her. Although her voice was kind and gentle, the she-cat only looked over at her before she continued eating. The violet-eyed she-cat's heart ached at the sight of one of her closest friends being so withdrawn. "I-I'll leave you alone." Once Nightheart left, Kirito approached his cousin.

"Hey Sugu. Are you feeling better? Did you want to go out and hunt?" The she-cat's dark gray eyes widened in horror.

"No! Please, no!" She yelled, fear coating her voice. Every cat in the middle of the camp looked over at her. They all knew what she had gone through a few sunrises ago, so they were all worried. "I…don't want to leave camp. J-just leave me alone, Kazuto…please." She begged. The tom unsheathed his claws, anger finally taking over him. Kirito stormed out of camp, ignoring any cat who called out for him. _I'm going to kill them for what they did! I've been holding it back, but now I've had it! This is for Suguha and Foxpaw!_

Kirito reached the abandoned Twoleg den and swiped his paw down in front of him, the menu interface now appearing. With a few taps of his paw, the menu screen suddenly disappeared, his right paw covered in a black aura and his left paw covered in an aqua aura.

"Show yourselves!" He called out.

"Kirito!" The tom turned around and saw that it was Nightheart.

"Get out of here, Nightheart." He told her coldly.

"You're looking for those rogues, aren't you?"

"Yes! What they did to Sugu is unforgivable! Do you know how much it hurts seeing her like that? I…I wasn't there to protect her or Foxpaw, but now I'll make sure that something like this never happens again." He meowed. "Just leave, Nightheart, please." The she-cat shook her head.

"They aren't here anymore, Kirito." She told him.

"How do you know?"

"Because…" The she-cat hesitated. "Because I killed them already." The tom's eyes widened in shock.

"You did?" He meowed, but avoided the she-cat's gaze afterwards. "You're just saying that because you don't want me to kill them."

"That's not true! For these past few days I've been living with what I've done. I used my Geass and gave them the command to die. It was so simple, but…" Nightheart watched as her surroundings suddenly changed. The snow below her paws became stained with blood. The crimson substance flowed through her paws. She slowly backed away from the tom, Kirito noticing the fear in her violet eyes.

"Nightheart, hey!" He called out, shaking her with a paw. It wasn't enough to break her out of her panicked state, Nightheart now running back to camp. Kirito quickly chased after her. He stopped when the she-cat collapsed onto the ground, her body shaking. _She really did kill them. There's no way she's just acting like this for nothing._ He rested down next to her and placed his tail on her shoulder. She looked over at the tom, his dark gray gaze now soft and filled with worry.

"I'm sorry for running off like that, Kirito." The tom shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sorry for doubting you." He apologized. "Does anyone else know about what you did?"

"Only father and Foxpaw. Suguha was supposed to be the last one to know, but when I saw you leave camp…I knew what you were about to do."

"I just want Sugu to get back to being herself again…but after what she went through, I wouldn't blame her if she wanted to leave this world right now."

"I…" Nightheart hesitated. She wanted to protest the possibility, but she didn't want to sound selfish. She wanted Suguha to stay in ThunderClan as much as any other member of the Clan. "Maybe it would be for the best."

"You think so?" Kirito asked. "I don't think it'd be okay for her to go back to our world with this sort of fear. I'm sure it'd impact her just as bad as it is here. They may have been cats, but the same situation could happen to Twolegs."

"I hadn't thought of that." She meowed. "I just want her to feel better again, that's all. I want to help her, Kirito, but she won't even talk to me."

"I'm sure if you force the conversation she will. Telling her what you did will grab her attention, and you can go from there." Nightheart nodded, and the two made their way back to camp.

When they returned, Squirrelflight approached the two. She didn't seem angry, rather, she was concerned as to why Kirito ran off.

"Did you go pick a fight with those rogues?" She asked the tom.

"They weren't there when I went." Kirito meowed. "They're lucky, that's for sure." He looked over at Nightheart and pointed his tail over to where Suguha was sitting alone. The violet-eyed she-cat walked over to her and rested next to her.

"Hi, Suguha."

"Hi…" The black she-cat meowed inaudibly.

"There's…there's something important that I need to tell you. Will you listen to me?" Suguha took her head off of her paws and looked over at the she-cat. "The rogues who harmed you...I…I killed them." The she-cat's dark gray eyes widened.

"Nightheart…"

"You mean so much to me, Suguha. You're the closest friend I have in camp…so when I heard what they did to you and Foxpaw…I couldn't let them live because of that. After I left the medicine cat's den that day, I found them…and I used the Geass my father granted me to kill them." Nightheart's violet eyes began to glisten. "If it makes me a monster or permits me from going to StarClan, so be it. I care about you so much, Suguha. I just want you to feel better again…please." Nightheart pressed her head onto the she-cat's shoulder, coating it with her tears.

"I…I don't know how. Ever since that day I've had nightmares about what happened. No cat is there to save me from them...and my cries for help do nothing. I want to forget about it ever happening…but…" Suguha looked over at Nightheart. "Your Geass. Nightheart, please…use it to make me forget about it all."

"M-My Geass?" _Yes, I could use it. It can be used in many ways…but here's the chance to help someone I care about so much._ "Okay." Suguha watched as Nightheart's right eye became encompassed with Geass. "Suguha…forget what those rogues did to you a few sunrises ago." In a few seconds, Nightheart watched as the she-cat's iris now had a red ring around it momentarily until it disappeared. "Suguha, how are you feeling?"

"Great! Is Foxpaw awake yet? I should probably take him out to train."

"Wait!" _She forgot what happened to Foxpaw as well. What do I do?_

"What is it, Nightheart?"

"He's…he's in the medicine cat's den right now."

"What happened to him? Is he okay?" Suguha didn't wait for the she-cat and made her way over to the medicine cat's den, Nightheart following behind her. When she went inside, she saw Foxpaw resting next to his parents and Swiftpaw. "Foxpaw! Are you okay? What happened?" Lelouch looked over at Nightheart.

"Suguha, you don't…" Lelouch quickly stopped Alderheart by placing his tail over his mouth.

"He was practicing his battle moves with Swiftpaw and got hurt." He lied.

"What? Dad, I never…" The tom now placed his tail over his daughter's mouth. He pointed his tail tip towards Nightheart, and then over at Suguha. Swiftpaw was quickly able to catch on and gave her father a nod of his head before Lelouch moved his tail away from her. "Okay, fine, I did, but it was a complete accident!" Ivypool looked at her mate and younger daughter in confusion. Lelouch looked over at Foxpaw. _Please catch on, Foxpaw. _The young silver and black tabby nodded.

"Yeah. Kirito showed her a new battle move, and I got hurt." The tom told her.

"What? That's not what..." Jayfeather stopped when Asuna stepped on the tom's tail. "Ow! What in the name of StarClan was…"

"That's exactly what happened to Foxpaw!" Asuna meowed.

"That Kazuto..." Suguha let out a sigh. "We're going to train twice as hard once you get better, Foxpaw. Then you can show Swiftpaw some cool battle moves, too." She stated. "When are you going to get better, actually?"

"In a day or two, Suguha." Asuna assured her.

"Great! I'll come check on you again soon. I just need to talk to that cousin of mine!" When Suguha left the den, everyone looked over at Lelouch.

"So…why did we lie to Suguha? Also, why did she seem fine all of a sudden?" Alderheart asked. "I mean, I'm glad, but there's no way she feels better already."

"Lelouch, you know why, right?" Ivypool asked.

"Yeah. You know too, right, Swiftpaw?" The tom asked his daughter, who replied with a nod.

"It's because Nightheart used her Geass on Suguha to make her forget about what happened." She told them. Now, everyone looked over at Nightheart.

"I know I can only use it once…but I didn't do it on my account. Suguha asked for me to use it on her." The violet-eyed she- cat explained. "That's why she also forgot what happened to Foxpaw as well."

"But, what about everyone else?" Ivypool wondered. "If they bring it up, she'll be confused about it."

"Right. I'm sure no cat will just bring up such a traumatic event knowing how it caused her to react before, but maybe we can have Bramblestar make an announcement the next time she and Foxpaw go out." Lelouch suggested.

"Maybe I'll just explain it to everyone instead. I'm the one who did it, after all. Bramblestar doesn't need to make it a big deal." Nightheart said.

"I think having a cat's memories changed _is_ kind of a big deal." Jayfeather stated. "However, explaining it to everyone now would have news travel faster than just waiting the next few days for someone to slip up."

"He does raise a good point." Lelouch looked over at Nightheart. "You should go tell everyone now, starting with Kirito. Knowing Suguha, she wasn't kidding about giving him a stern talking to." Asuna let out a small laugh.

"Definitely." Nightheart thanked the cats in the medicine cat's den before leaving to find Kirito. _In the past days, I've used my Geass in an abundance of ways. This power has so many uses. I've used it to kill and change memories...but there will definitely be times where I'll need to think about when and how I use it._ _That also means being able to live with the choices I've made by using it. _


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_Kirito and Swiftpaw walked _alongside Stemleaf, Suguha, and Foxpaw, the five cats out on a hunting patrol. They had been out for what seemed like hours in search of prey, but all together, they only found a mouse and squirrel, due to the chilly leaf-bare weather. It seemed almost hopeless, but they knew that they had to keep trying, especially when some cats could possibly go hungry.

"Thank StarClan we have you, Kirito. That tracking skill at least helped us catch these two pieces of prey." Stemleaf meowed.

"Thanks, but I wish I could find more. The Clan definitely could use it." As he said that, a green glow formed in the tom's eyes. "This way." Kirito took the lead and the others followed behind him. Kirito raised his tail to stop the group when he saw the mouse that he had tracked down. "There. Wanna catch it, Stemleaf?"

"Sure." The tom slowly approached and got into a hunter's crouch. As she was watching, Kirito leaned over towards his apprentice.

"You're welcome." A blush immediately formed on the she-cat's face and she dropped the mouse she caught. Nearby, Suguha let out a giggle.

"It's not funny, Suguha! Don't encourage him!" She whispered, making sure that they didn't scare off the mouse. As Stemleaf was about to leap towards it, a scared yowl was heard from the direction of the lake, causing the prey to scurry off.

"Mouse dung! What in the name of StarClan was that?"

"I dunno, but it sounds like someone might need help. Let's go!" The group ran towards the lake, crossing into SkyClan's territory when they realized that it was coming from their portion of the lake. When they broke through the trees, they saw two cats frantically pacing back and forth on the shore in panic, while another cat seemed to be drowning in the lake, it's head bobbing up and down into the water as it struggled to stay above. The lake had been frozen, so the cat seemed to have fell inside of a hole that it made. Without warning, Swiftpaw broke from the group and charged towards the lake.

"Swiftpaw, be careful!" Kirito called out as he and the others followed her. She cautiously began to walk onto the ice, spreading her paws as she walked to distribute her weight to keep the ice from breaking. Once she got to the cat, she grabbed it by the scruff and pulled back to get it out. As the cat, a young yellow tom, made his way onto the ice, Swiftpaw noticed the ice begin to crack from below her. _Oh StarClan, not now!_ When the ice gave way, Swiftpaw felt the chilly water begin to coat her fur, but she was relieved when she found out that it was shallow enough for her to stand in. When she finally pulled the tom out of the water, he made his way towards the shore, Swiftpaw following behind him. Upon reaching the shore, the she-cat began to shiver from the cold, Kirito pressing close to her to keep her warm. Suguha did the same for the yellow tom.

"I know I'm no Stemleaf, but this'll do, right?" He meowed before giving her a lick to the ear. "I'm proud of you, Swiftpaw. A cat needed help, and you didn't hesitate to risk your life." A blush of both embarrassment and admiration formed on the she-cat's face. She looked over at the yellow tom.

"You stupid furball! Don't you know that just because the lake is frozen doesn't mean the ice can't break?!" The tom looked over at her.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm at least glad that you came to help me." He meowed. The two other apprentices walked over and bowed their head to apologize. Swiftpaw had seen them at a Gathering before. They were Kitepaw and Turtlepaw.

"It's partially our fault. We're sorry." Turtlepaw apologized.

"Well, you both weren't exactly much help." Kirito meowed. "But, if you weren't screaming like a bunch of kits we wouldn't have known you were here." He then looked over at the yellow tom. "I don't think I've seen you before at a Gathering. What's your name?"

"O-Oh! I'm Rootkit…I-I mean, Rootpaw." The tom greeted.

"Violetshine's your mother, right?" Suguha asked, the tom nodding. "I'm sure she'd be more than worried about you. We'll take you back to ThunderClan to make sure you feel better before you go back home."

"No!" Rootpaw quickly protested. "We're SkyClan cats."

"Well, yeah, but our camp is closer." Kirito stated.

"You'd freeze in your condition if you walked back to SkyClan." Swiftpaw added. "Don't be mouse-brained. Besides, you'll be using our supplies. I'd say it's a win for your Clan, too." Rootpaw still seemed hesitant, but he nodded.

"I'll go with you." Kitepaw stated. "Turtlepaw, you go back to camp and tell them so they're not worried." The she-cat nodded and made his way back to SkyClan. Kirito stepped away from Swiftpaw and lowered his body onto the snow below him.

"Want me to carry you back to camp? You deserve it for what you did."

"K-Kirito, I'm not a kit anymore!" Swiftpaw meowed in embarrassment. "Besides, I'm too big for a badger ride."

"C'mon, I can still carry you like when you were a kit." He insisted. "It's a one-time chance." The apprentice let out a small laugh.

"I'm good. The Kirito Express can go on passenger-less…but I'll walk close to you for warmth, if you don't mind." Kirito pulled her close with a paw. "Ah! You're so embarrassing sometimes!" Suguha looked down at Rootpaw.

"I'll carry you back to camp, Rootpaw. No complaining, though."

"A-Are you sure?" The she-cat nodded and picked the apprentice up by the scruff and placed him on her back. As the group made their way back to camp, Suguha had asked Foxpaw to rush back to camp to tell the medicine cats to prepare a nest for Rootpaw. Stemleaf made his way up to the front of the group where Kirito and Swiftpaw were.

"How you went out to save Rootpaw was amazing, Swiftpaw. You weren't scared or anything." The she-cat dipped her head in thanks.

"I-It was nothing. I kinda get that from Kirito."

"Really?" The black tom looked at the apprentice in surprise.

"Well, of course! I've always wanted you as a mentor, remember? Being a hero like you is what I strive to be when I become a warrior." _It's not like I'm as brave as Kirito, though. It was kinda scary going on that ice like that. I was lucky that it was shallow where it broke._

"You're definitely going to get there, Swiftpaw." The white-and-orange tom told her, causing Swiftpaw to feel warm inside. Both the praise from her mentor and the tom she had feelings for were enough to cause her to smile, but she knew that despite having Kirito as a mentor, Stemleaf's comments meant so much more to her.

When the cats arrived at camp, Suguha made her way to the medicine cat's den to let Rootpaw rest, while Kirito and Swiftpaw were approached by Lelouch and Ivypool, Foxpaw telling his parents what his sister did.

"Your brother told us what you did today when you saved Rootpaw." Lelouch meowed. Ivypool gave her daughter a loving lick behind the ear.

"We're proud of you for doing the right thing. What you did was definitely brave." The silver-and-white she-cat meowed. "She definitely has a good role model." Kirito licked his chestfur in embarrassment.

"It's really all her. She's grown ever since our first day out at mentor and apprentice."

"Please don't remind me about that. It's so embarrassing." Her parents shared a laugh.

"Y'know Swiftpaw, I think we're going to have your warrior assessment soon." Kirito meowed. Swiftpaw looked over at her mentor, her eyes wide.

"R-Really?"

"Why not? After what you did today and the way your training's been going, I'd say you're ready to become a warrior." The black tom meowed. Ivypool and Lelouch smiled at the sight of how excited their daughter was hearing the news.

"I'd say it's definitely a possibility." Swiftpaw turned around and saw that it was Bramblestar. The apprentice quickly dipped her head to greet the leader. "I heard what you did today, Swiftpaw. It definitely shows what it means to be a part of ThunderClan."

"T-Thank you, Bramblestar." The apprentice meowed.

"If you both aren't too exhausted, I have another task for you." The leader told the mentor and apprentice. "I'd like for you both to go with Stemleaf to tell Leafstar about Rootpaw's condition. Tell her that we'll gladly take care of him until he's well enough."

"We're love to!" Swiftpaw quickly answered.

"You heard her. We'll be on our way, Bramblestar." Kirito meowed, Bramblestar giving the tom a nod of thanks. As they were walking over to where Stemleaf was waiting, Swiftpaw couldn't help but feel excitement course through her body. _I got praise from Stemleaf today and I'm going on patrol with him? Not only that, but Kirito says that I might have my warrior assessment soon! This is one of the greatest days of my life!_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Swiftpaw waited eagerly beside the warriors' den with Foxpaw. A few days had passed ever since she saved Rootpaw from the lake. Kirito had been so proud of her that he persuaded Bramblestar to allow her to take her warrior assessment today.

"I bet you're so excited to become a warrior today." Foxpaw told his sister.

"Yeah. I've been waiting for this my whole life…but I wish we could take our assessment at the same time, Foxpaw." She told him, but her brother shook her head.

"Don't be. I definitely am behind you when it comes to hunting and fighting skills." He meowed. "Besides, now I'll be more motivated to get better if you become a warrior. Can't let you be one for too long without me." The she-cat smiled at her brother's praise.

"Hey, at least you have Geass. That's way cooler than becoming a warrior."

"Well, it's really situational, unlike Nightheart's." He replied. "You never know, you might have Geass as well." Swiftpaw scoffed at the idea. "It's true! Father says that having violet eyes or not doesn't matter."

"What would mine even do if I had one? I'd never expect you to have the power to give cats nightmares."

"Try not to think too hard about something like Geass." The two turned and saw that it was their father, along with their mother and Kirito. "Swiftpaw, are you ready for your assessment?" She nodded. "Kirito, do you mind if Ivypool and I talk with her for a second?" The tom nodded and stepped aside with Foxpaw. "Go do your best out there, Swiftpaw. You've been training so much with Kirito and your mother and I have seen how hard you work." Ivypool nodded in agreement.

"What your father said. If anything, do it for him. He's been waiting to see one of his kits become a warrior for so long." A blush of embarrassment formed on the tom's face. "No pressure, though, okay?" Ivypool gave her a comforting lick to the ear.

"Good luck out there, Swiftpaw." Lelouch gave her a lick to the forehead. The she-cat turned around and made her way over to where Kirito was.

"Ready to go?"

"I think so. I may be a bit nervous, though." Kirito placed his tail on the she-cat's shoulder.

"You'll do great out there. We'll all be chanting your warrior name in no time." He meowed. "Let's get going."

"Wait!" As the two were about to leave camp, they turned around and saw that it was Nightheart. "I can't let my sister take her assessment without wishing her the best of luck." Nightheart touched noses with her sister. "I know you'll do great. I can't wait to go on patrols with my little sister." The silver-and-white apprentice blushed in embarrassment, causing her sister to smile. "Sorry for keeping you back! Get going you two!" Kirito let out a smile before they both continued their walk into the snow-laden forest. Once they were out of camp, Kirito turned around to face Swiftpaw.

"Alright, you got thirty minutes to go hunting. Do your best like always, Swiftpaw." The tom meowed. Swiftpaw nodded her head before she ran off. With a swipe of his paw, Kirito opened his menu and with a few taps of his paw, he activated his Hiding skill, a red bar now appearing in the bottom right of the field of his view. _Alright, time to keep my eye on her. She'll be a warrior in no time._

Swiftpaw made her way through the northern part of ThunderClan. She started near their border with SkyClan, but the results were fruitless. _It's so freezing out here! All the prey has to be in their shelters, but I haven't even found any pawprints or scent trails because of this weather._ She wasn't even sure how much time she had left to hunt, but she knew at this point, time wasn't on her side. Fear struck the she-cat as she thought of how her assessment would end. _What if I don't catch anything? For any normal cat, this would be hard, but Kirito's the best tracker in ThunderClan due to his skills from SAO. Is he expecting me to hunt as well as he does?_ Swiftpaw hit the ground in frustration. _But I've been doing everything he's taught me and still haven't found anything! _The chilly breeze blew through her fur, sending shivers through the apprentice.

Swiftpaw tasted the air after walking for a few minutes, her eyes going wide with joy. _Prey! It's a vole and I can actually scent it from here!_ After trudging through the snow and passing by countless trees, she caught up to the vole. She had reached ThunderClan's border stream with WindClan and saw the vole, but it was on the other side of the stream, staring at her from WindClan territory. _It's almost as if the dumb thing is taunting me!_ She walked close to the bank of the stream and watched as the vole ran deeper into WindClan territory. _It's the only thing I've found, and I could just catch it quickly and come back._ The she-cat shook her head. _No! I know better than that! Kirito's trained me to follow the warrior code, and if a cat from another world follows it, then an actual Clanborn cat like myself should do it, too. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to find something else._ As Swiftpaw turned and made her way back into the forest, Kirito leaped down from a tree, causing her to jump. _Oh StarClan, he was watching me this whole time!_

"C'mon, you know I'd be watching you. Why do you seem so surprised?"

"B-Because you just jumped down out of nowhere, maybe?" She retorted. _He showed himself to me…so does that mean I'm out of time? Or is he stopping because of what he just saw?_ "Am I out of time, Kirito?" The tom nodded.

"Yeah. I'm proud of you for not catching that vole, though. You knew better than to cross into another Clan's territory, even though you couldn't find any prey this entire time. The warrior code is definitely something you've shown that you can follow." He meowed with praise.

"Thank you…but was there any trails that I missed while I was hunting? You were watching me, after all." The tom shook his head.

"Nothing that I saw. With this weather, even my own tracking and hunting skills aren't much useful if nothing has come out all day." He replied.

"So…does that mean I passed?" She asked, eagerness in her voice. Kirito hesitated before letting out a sigh, shaking his head.

"You know how much I'd love to make you a warrior, Swiftpaw, and I know that you're an amazing hunter…but…"

"But what?"

"I needed to actually see you hunt and catch something." The silver-and-white apprentice's ears fell flat, Kirito walking over to her and comforting her with a lick to the ear. "Trust me, it hurts that I have to do this, but you understand, right?" She nodded her head. "We can try again soon. I know the weather definitely is a factor in all of this."

"Right…" The she-cat's voice trailed off.

"C'mon, we'll pick out the best piece of prey in the fresh-kill pile for you when we get back." Kirito led the she-cat back to camp, Swiftpaw's usual happy demeanor showing no trace on her.

When they returned to camp, Stemleaf was the first to greet the two. He looked over at Swiftpaw with a smile, but then noticed that she didn't share the same joy that he currently had.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Swiftpaw couldn't find any prey." Kirito told him.

"Really? It's just this weather, that's all. I know if it was warmer, you'd definitely have caught something, Swiftpaw." He meowed. Even all of the tom's praise couldn't take her out of the slump she was now in. She made her way over to the apprentice's den to rest. For the rest of the day, she wanted to just stay in there for the time being. As she entered, Foxpaw looked up at her.

"How'd your assessment go, Swiftpaw?" He wondered as she curled up in her nest.

"I didn't pass."

"What? Why?"

"I couldn't find any prey. I thought I had found a vole, but it was on WindClan territory." She wailed. "I looked for so long, and couldn't find anything!"

"I'm sorry to hear that." Foxpaw pressed closer to his sister to comfort her. "I know you tried your best, though. You've always been such a great hunter." _Of course when it matters, I'm the most unlucky hunter in camp._ Swiftpaw heard pawsteps enter the apprentice's den and saw that it was Kirito, the tom carrying a thrush in his jaws. He dropped it down in front of her.

"It was the biggest thing I could find." He told her. "I know today's assessment went bad, but don't give up, Swiftpaw. That's one of the most important things that I've taught you." With that, the tom left the den to speak with Bramblestar.

"How'd Swiftpaw's assessment go?" The ThunderClan leader asked.

"She couldn't find any prey. I couldn't either even with my skills from SAO. She tracked a vole down but saw that it was on WindClan territory. Even though she knew she was running out of time, she didn't cross the stream to catch it." He told him. "With this weather, it has to be enough to let her pass, right? She's so talented, Bramblestar."

"I know that you feel bad for her, but you remember what I told you about warrior assessments, Kirito. They have to prove their hunting skills, and despite the weather, you weren't able to assess those skills today." The tom gave the leader an understanding nod. "She can try again whenever you feel like it may favor her."

"Yes, Bramblestar." Kirito dipped his head in thanks before he made his way towards Ivypool and Lelouch, the two waiting to hear the news on their daughter's assessment. Ivypool noticed that the black tom didn't have any hint of joy on his face.

"Did Swiftpaw not pass her assessment?" She asked him, the tom nodding.

"She couldn't find any prey on our territory. I really wanted to pass her, but I can't without seeing her actually hunt." He meowed. "I'm sorry, you two. I know how much you were looking forward to seeing Swiftpaw become a warrior."

"It's not your fault." Lelouch assured the tom. "This weather definitely is playing a key role in the amount of prey we catch. Even our hunting patrols come back with little to no prey, after all."

"Right. We know how well you've trained her, Kirito. We're still thankful for that." Ivypool added.

"Thanks, you two." He meowed, letting out a smile. "Hopefully she'll be able to try again soon. I'm sure one of these days she'll find something." Kirito looked over at the apprentice's den. _We'll try as many times as we can, Swiftpaw, no matter the weather. Your dream of becoming a warrior won't need to wait until spring, I know it._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

The stars glowed radiantly in the dark sky as Asuna, Jayfeather, and Alderheart made their way to the Moonpool for tonight's half-moon meeting. Their paws trudged through the snow, the cold wind blowing past them as they walked.

"It's so cold. I wish I had a scarf or something." Asuna meowed.

"Scarf?" Alderheart meowed, unsure of what the she-cat was talking about.

"It's something Twolegs wear around their necks to keep warm." She explained. "I think they make small ones for cats, too."

"Really? I can't believe kittypets actually let their Twolegs put things on them that they wear." Jayfeather stated.

"I mean, if it keeps them warm, I don't think I'd mind." Alderheart responded. "It could keep greencough away, possibly." The blind medicine cat scoffed, causing Alderheart to roll his eyes.

When the three reached the Moonpool, they saw that all the other medicine cats were already there. They climbed down the stone spiral path and greeted them.

"We're sorry that we didn't wait for you three outside. It's so cold out there." Mothwing apologized, Asuna shaking her head.

"It's okay. We'd probably do the same thing, to be honest." She assured them. "How is everything in RiverClan?"

"It could be better. The lake's frozen, so we can't catch any fish!" Willowshine meowed. "How's it in ThunderClan?"

"As bad. Our patrols return with less and less prey as the days pass." Alderheart stated. "I bet every mouse or squirrel in the forest is laughing just watching us as they stay cozy in their dens. This weather is definitely a nuisance." Kestrelflight nodded.

"At least you have trees sheltering you. On the moor we have nothing. The winds haven't been friendly, either. I had to fix Larkwing's dislocated shoulder when the wind made her fall into a gully." He told them. "This leaf-bare definitely is bad."

"I don't mean to just change the subject, but can we remember why we're here?" Jayfeather asked. "We need to speak with StarClan." The other medicine cats nodded and approached the Moonpool. As Asuna moved down to touch her nose to the water, she felt the cold resistance of ice and drew her head back. She looked over at the others and could see the worry in their eyes.

"I don't remember this happening when we came here last leaf-bare." Asuna meowed. "Has this ever happened before?" Mothwing shook her head.

"Not that I can remember." The golden she-cat meowed. "At least you, Kirito, and Suguha can just leave and avoid this weather."

"It wouldn't be fair for us to do something like that." The cream she-cat replied. "We'd love to help ThunderClan at a time like this…although I guess even if we help we're still eating the prey that we're struggling to catch."

"Oh, I didn't mean to come off as blaming you or anything, Asuna. I apologize." Mothwing told her. "Regardless, we all may not be able to speak with StarClan, but we still have each other and common sense for any problems that we might face." Jayfeather grunted.

"Easy for you to say. You don't believe in StarClan, so you have no idea how we're feeling."

"Who's to say that I haven't changed?" She retorted, causing the other medicine cats to look at her. "After the Great Battle, and everything that happened with Darktail…I don't think I can deny that StarClan really does exist. However, I can't be sure of their intentions or if their guidance is what we need to follow every time." Alderheart looked at her in surprise.

"How can you say that? Their advice to bring SkyClan back?"

"Brought Darktail to us, and caused our Clans to lose lives because of it."

"But how many more would've been lost if we did nothing?" Jayfeather countered, but Mothwing shook her head.

"Regardless, I don't think we need to panic." She assured them, but her words were almost empty, the medicine cats looking at each other anxiously. They needed StarClan's guidance, but with the frigid weather, how else could they speak with them?

"Something tells me that this is a sign for something much worse on the horizon." Alderheart meowed, fear in his voice. _That might also mean cats from other worlds can come to help us. Last time they brought us Asuna, Kirito, and Suguha, followed by Noct, and then Lucina afterward. StarClan isn't the one who brings them here…so maybe Spottedleaf will somehow bring us someone to help._

"Well, we might as well end this meeting. There's nothing else we can do other than hope that warmer weather comes soon to melt the ice." Kestrelflight said. The other medicine cats agreed and said goodbye to each other before returning back to camp.

"Is there any reason why StarClan wouldn't want to speak to us?" Asuna wondered as she, Jayfeather, and Alderheart made their way through the thorn tunnel leading into camp.

"Maybe we've done something wrong?" Alderheart meowed. "But as far as I know, we've all been living as usual. I haven't been given any sort of prophecies."

"Nor have I." Jayfeather meowed before letting out a sigh. "StarClan works in mysterious ways sometimes. Hopefully everything becomes clear soon." As they entered camp, lightning struck, causing Asuna to jump.

"Lightning _and_ snow? I've never seen that before."

"The signs keep getting worse." The dark ginger tom stated. "I hope you're right about things becoming clear soon, Jayfeather." As the three medicine cats made their way to their den to rest, Asuna looked up at the night sky and watched as another bolt of lightning appeared. _Could the Clans be in danger again? If we can't speak with StarClan, does that mean we also can't receive messages from Spottedleaf? How will we know where to start in helping the Clans without some sort of sign?_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Foxpaw glanced around the forest in search of prey. He had hoped that he would be able to help feed the Clan today, especially with how dire things were getting for them.

"Do you sense anything yet, Foxpaw?" Suguha asked.

"Not yet…wait." The tom tasted the air and caught the scent of mouse. "There's a mouse this way." He looked towards the northern part of ThunderClan's territory and his heart stopped. _That's where I put Suguha in danger. I know that this is for the Clan, but can I put us at risk again? No, I have Geass now, and Nightheart already dealt with the rogues. We should be safe._

"Foxpaw?" The tom broke away from his thoughts and looked at his mentor. "The mouse?"

"Right, sorry, Suguha." The tom apologized before he led the she-cat. Luckily, the scent trail strayed away from the abandoned Twoleg den. As it got stronger, Foxpaw slowed his pace, not wanting to startle the mouse when he saw it. He saw it near the base of a tree, its head pointed up in the air. _It doesn't see me. Perfect._ Although it wasn't the biggest mouse he had seen, it was better than returning back to camp with nothing. He crept closer and closer to it until he finally felt that he was in striking distance. With a quick pounce, Foxpaw caught the mouse between his paws and gave it a killing blow to the neck.

"Great catch, Foxpaw!" Suguha praised as she walked over to him. As Foxpaw got up, the tom dropped his mouse. His surroundings began to suddenly spin and his could feel his head begin to throb. "Foxpaw, are you okay?" Suguha asked, worry in her voice. His mentor's voice became soft and his vision of her became hazy as he fainted and fell onto the snow below. "Foxpaw! Foxpaw!" Suguha shook the tom, but he didn't wake up. The black she-cat picked up the tom and placed him on her back before picking up his mouse and returning to camp. _What happened to him? I hope Alderheart has some sort of answer._

Foxpaw's violet eyes slowly opened and he looked around. A blanket of warmth formed around him as he saw that he was now in a moonlit clearing. _Where am I?_ He wondered. A cool breeze blew through his fur, a cascade of white petals passing by him, blinding his view. When he was finally able to see again, he now noticed a Twoleg with long lime green hair standing in front of him. _A Twoleg? She doesn't seem harmful, though._

"At least you didn't run away from me like Alderheart did before." The Twoleg stated. _Wait…I can understand her, and she sounds like the voice I heard before I got my Geass._ The tom realized.

"A-Are you C.C.? One of my father's friends from his world?"

"Correct. It's nice to meet you, Foxpaw." C.C. approached the tom and sat down on the grass in front of him. "Is this strange to you?"

"Definitely. It's not every day you speak with a Twoleg who knows what you're saying." He replied. "Do you know what I'm doing here? I was hunting and I'm sure that I fainted."

"That was my doing. I apologize if you were scared. You might want to apologize to Suguha for me as well." She told him. "I did it because there's something important that I need to tell you."

"L-Like a prophecy?" C.C. nodded. _Is this really happening? Being granted Geass is one thing…but possibly saving the Clans?_

"Your Geass does more than grant the cats you look at nightmares, Foxpaw." C.C. said.

"It does? But Nightheart's Geass only has one effect. How is it possible that mine has another use?"

"I don't have the answer to that. However, even I'm not sure what its secondary effect is. All I know is that the Clans will need you to use your Geass in order to help them in this troubling time." She explained. "You must keep this prophecy to yourself for the time being."

"Right. You'll find that another cat close to you knows about this prophecy tonight. You both will work together to save the Clans." Foxpaw turned around and saw a tortoiseshell she-cat. He had never heard or seen her before.

"There you are, Spottedleaf." C.C. greeted the she-cat.

"Spottedleaf? ThunderClan's past medicine cat from when Bluestar was leader?" The tom asked. Spottedleaf nodded.

"It's nice to meet you, Foxpaw. I've yet to meet any of Lelouch's kin yet, so it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Not even Nightheart?" She shook her head.

"Spottedleaf is the one who helps brings cats to your world to help the Clans. She was busy at the time searching, so she never had the chance to meet her."

"Someday I hope to, the same goes for Swiftpaw as well." The former ThunderClan medicine cat meowed. "Anyway, we're getting a bit off track. Listen carefully, Foxpaw." The tom stared into the she-cat's amber eyes. "There is a darkness in the Clans that must be driven out."

"A…darkness?" Spottedleaf nodded.

"Yes. For now, this is all C.C. and I know. As I gain more information, I'll try my best to get some help for the Clans, so you may not see me for a while. C.C. will be here to inform you about anything new." Foxpaw looked at the two messengers. _This is all happening so suddenly. First I gain Geass, and now I'm a port of some prophecy and can speak to C.C. and Spottedleaf, who both usually only speak to cats from other worlds?_ C.C. softly groomed the tom, breaking him away from his thoughts.

"I know it's a lot to take in, but I know you'll succeed, Foxpaw. You have the same desire to help people, just like your father. I'll be here to guide you as best as I can."

"Thank you, C.C. I hope that I don't let you or Spottedleaf down."

"Don't put your life in danger if you feel like you are, Foxpaw." Spottedleaf cautioned him. "You may feel like you've failed, but don't let it discourage you. Have faith." The tom nodded, the she-cat giving him a comforting lick to the ear. "Good luck, Foxpaw. We know you'll be able to save the Clans." Foxpaw's surroundings suddenly began to fade away, the tom now holding a new destiny in his paws.

Foxpaw awoke in the medicine cat's den, surrounded by his family, along with Kirito, Suguha, and the medicine cats.

"Thank StarClan you're okay." Ivypool meowed with relief, giving the tom a gentle lick to the ear.

"I'm sorry for worrying you all." Foxpaw apologized. Nightheart shook her head.

"Don't worry about us, Foxpaw. Father thinks he knows what happened to you." The violet-eyed she-cat meowed. Foxpaw looked over at his father, their violet eyes connected.

"C.C. spoke with you, right?" The tom wasn't surprised that his father was able to guess what happened, but he promised C.C. and Spottedleaf not to tell them about the prophecy he received. Foxpaw nodded. "Did she tell you anything important?"

"She really only wanted to greet me." The tom lied. "Also…she told me that my Geass also has another effect other than inflicting nightmares."

"It does?" His father looked at him in surprise.

"Is that not normal?" Ivypool asked. Lelouch nodded.

"I've never heard of that happening before."

"C.C. said she hadn't either. She knew that my Geass had the power to grant cats nightmares, but she doesn't know what else it does." He replied.

"You might be one special cat, Foxpaw." Alderheart meowed. "I was able to speak with C.C. before as well, although in your case it might be because you were granted Geass. You might be able to help the Clans with what potentially lies ahead."

"Are the Clans in danger?" The apprentice asked.

"Possibly. The Moonpool has been frozen over, so we have no way to contact StarClan." Jayfeather explained. "If you're able to speak with C.C., then maybe you'll be able to figure out what's going on." Foxpaw nodded. He wasn't aware of the situation with StarClan at all. _This means my destiny is more important than I initially realized._

"We'll have to train even harder now, Foxpaw." Suguha told the tom. "I'll have to try my best to prepare you for whatever lies ahead."

"Right. Oh, C.C. wanted to apologize for worrying you, Suguha." The apprentice told his mentor.

"I'm sure it was important that she talked to you, so it's okay. At least now if you faint I'll know why." The black she-cat stated. "I brought your mouse back to camp, too, so don't worry about that."

"Foxpaw even caught something?" Swiftpaw meowed before letting out a sigh.

"Have you still not been lucky at hunting lately?" The tom asked his sister, who nodded. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay. She's doing everything right. If anything, it means I'm unlucky lately when it comes to hunting, too." Kirito meowed. "Maybe the Gathering tonight will make you feel better." Foxpaw looked over at the gray-eyed tom.

"There's a Gathering tonight?" Kirito nodded.

"I'm sure you'll need to go as well, Foxpaw." Ivypool meowed. "Being able to speak with C.C. must be important, after all."

"Right. We'll need to show the Clans that ThunderClan at least has some sort of tie to someone who can relay messages to us." Alderheart meowed. "I'll go tell my father right away." As Alderheart left, Foxpaw felt his father tap him on the shoulder.

"Are you able to get up?" Foxpaw nodded and got out of his bedding. "Follow me." Lelouch left the medicine cat's den, Foxpaw following behind him. Once they were both outside, Lelouch turned to face his son. "Are you worried at all about being able to speak with C.C., Foxpaw?"

"No, father. Should I be?" Lelouch shook his head.

"I just don't want you being overwhelmed with anything from here on out. I wish she'd talk with me about doing things instead, but ever since I transferred my code to Nightheart, I haven't been able to speak with her." He placed his tail on his son's shoulder. "You may be the one who ends up saving the Clans if things are going dire. I know it's a big responsibility, but if C.C. has chosen to speak with you, she must have faith in you, and so do your mother and I."

"Thank you, father. I hope that this gives me the chance to become a great hero to the Clans like you've been." Lelouch let out a hopeful smile.

"I think you'll be better than me. I only helped by fighting with ThunderClan, nothing more."

"That's not true! You helped save mother twice that night! If you didn't, Nightheart, Swiftpaw and I wouldn't be here right now." The silver and black tabby quickly corrected him. "Your acts of bravery and courage that night are why Nightheart, Swiftpaw and I love you so much. We couldn't ask for a better father." Lelouch gave his son a loving lick to the forehead. "F-Father, that's a bit embarrassing!"

"Right, sorry. You're growing up now, and you'll probably become a warrior soon. I'll try to keep my fatherly gestures down to a minimum." He meowed.

"W-Well when you put it that way it sounds like I'm being rude about it. I do appreciate your praise, father, so maybe continue with the verbal praise more often and lessen up on the licking?" Lelouch let out a small chuckle.

"I'll keep that noted, although don't try telling your mother that. She'll definitely be mad at you."

"I wouldn't want that. Mother can be really scary when she's angry."

"Nobody knows that more than me." Lelouch meowed, the two sharing a laugh afterwards. "You should get some rest for tonight. This won't be like the other Gathering you've been to where you were only listening." Foxpaw nodded and thanked his father for the talk before going over to the apprentice's den. As he rested, Foxpaw couldn't get his new destiny out of his mind. _I have to do this, not only to protect the Clans, but to protect the family I love so much. I mustn't let them down._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Foxpaw stood beside Kirito, Suguha, and Swiftpaw as they sat with the rest of the ThunderClan cats for tonight's Gathering. He looked around and could feel chills course through his body. _All these cats will be looking at me once Bramblestar tells them that I'm able to speak with C.C._

"Foxpaw, hello?" Swiftpaw waved a paw over the tom's eyes.

"Oh, sorry, Swiftpaw. What is it?" He asked.

"Rootpaw just wanted to say hi." Foxpaw looked over at the yellow SkyClan apprentice.

"Sorry, Rootpaw. I was just thinking about something. How have you been? Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, no thanks to Swiftpaw over here. She definitely saved my life that day." A blush formed on the silver-and-white tabby's face. "Oh, you're not Swiftpaw anymore, are you?"

"No, that's right. I wasn't able to pass my warrior assessment." She meowed.

"Really? That's horrible!" Rootpaw continued. "Anyway, I caught this huge crow the other day! It was able to feed four of us!"

"That's great, Rootpaw, really."

"Thanks! I just love hunting, don't you, Swiftpaw?"

"I would love it if there was anything to hunt." She replied, letting out a sigh afterward.

"Oh, well maybe I can bring you some if you're short on prey in ThunderClan." Swiftpaw looked over at the tom, anger flaring in her eyes.

"ThunderClan cats can catch their own prey! We don't need help!" She snapped, causing Rootpaw to sink down in fear.

"I-I didn't mean to say you couldn't hunt. Sorry." He apologized, Swiftpaw's ears falling flat. Before Swiftpaw could apologize, Tigerstar let out a yowl, signaling the start of the Gathering. As he was talking, Kirito tapped her on the shoulder with his tail.

"I know that you're mad about being unlucky with hunting, but you should apologize to Rootpaw when you get the chance. He doesn't know how long you've gone without hunting."

"I-I know. Sorry, Kirito." She apologized to her mentor. _I know he wasn't aware…but it's not my fault he asked such a mouse-brained question! Of course I love hunting, except only when I'm actually able to find something after using all the skills I've learned!_ As she turned around to see Rootpaw, she saw that he was now gone, the SkyClan apprentice now back with his own Clan. She let out a sigh before turning her attention back to Tigerstar as the Gathering began.

After every Clan had finally briefed each other on how they were faring with the frigid leaf-bare, along with any other news, Jayfeather now spoke up to alert the Clans about the situation with StarClan.

"We've lost our connection with StarClan for a while, however, we don't know why they've been neglecting us." The blind medicine cat stated. Cats from every Clan began to speak with each other, worry filling the majority of their voices. Some cats believed that this was a problem, while others felt as if it was just the horrible freezing weather and that the future warmth would thaw out the Moonpool. As they were talking, Foxpaw waited anxiously for Bramblestar to bring up his connection to C.C., but instead he heard Tigerstar let out a yowl to silence the cats.

"Everyone! What Jayfeather says is wrong. ShadowClan has a cat who is able to speak with StarClan." The cats all looked towards ShadowClan, wondering who exactly was able to communicate with their ancestors. "Shadowpaw has been given a message from them." They all now looked over at the medicine cat apprentice. He gulped before he began to speak.

"The other day after the half-moon gathering at the Moonpool, I felt a voice calling to me. It was telling me to go back to the Moonpool. I left camp and did so, but when I got there…I think I was struck by lightning."

"And hedgehogs fly!" One cat stated. "There's no way you got stuck and survived!"

"Right." Reedwhisker meowed. "I don't mean to doubt you, Shadowpaw, but are you sure that you were struck by lightning? RiverClan's camp has been destroyed by it before, so we know the damage it can do."

"I understand, but I'm standing right here. Because of that, I'm able to tell you what happened." He replied.

"Still…isn't this a bit strange that only ShadowClan has been able to speak with StarClan?" Mallownose called out. "We've all seen what happens when we believe things that ShadowClan says." As the cats began to argue with each other about Shadowpaw, Foxpaw looked up at the gray tabby tom. He then remembered what Spottedleaf had told him. _She said tonight that a cat close to me would be given the same prophecy. We're cousins…so is that close enough? He's the only one able to speak with StarClan, so that has to be it!_ As he looked at the ShadowClan medicine cat apprentice, he saw Tigerstar leap down from his branch on the Great Oak to join his son.

"The leaders will speak with Shadowpaw alone, for now." He suggested, although the tone in the leader's voice sounded more like a command. Puddleshine joined them, followed by the leaders from the other Clans. While the rest of the cats on the island formed groups to theorize about what was going on, Foxpaw knew he had to speak with Shadowpaw. He broke away from his sister, Kirito, and Suguha and walked towards the Great Oak.

"Foxpaw!" Suguha called out as she followed behind him. "Where are you going?"

"I need to go up there to speak with Shadowpaw. It's important, Suguha." He told her.

"Well, I'll at least walk you up there. You're my responsibility, after all." Foxpaw dipped his head in thanks and the two headed towards the tree branch where the leaders were. As they approached, the leaders all stopped and looked over at the two.

"Excuse me, but Tigerstar said that this was a conversation with leaders only." Leafstar meowed.

"I understand, but I need to speak with Shadowpaw. It's urgent." Foxpaw meowed. Before they could argue, Bramblestar rose his tail.

"Foxpaw is as special as Shadowpaw. I wasn't able to mention it, but I believe it's important that he's up here with us as well." The leader looked over at him and nodded his head. Foxpaw thanked Suguha before he found a spot next to the ShadowClan apprentice. "Recently, Foxpaw has been able to speak with the ones who give messages to cats not from this world. If anything, it shows that he may be able to relay messages to the Clans, just like Shadowpaw." The leaders all looked over at the silver and black tabby.

"I know it's not my place to ask, but may I please speak with Shadowpaw for a second?" Shadowpaw looked at Foxpaw in confusion.

"Very well, but please make it quick." Tigerstar meowed. Foxpaw nodded and shifted so he was facing his cousin.

"Shadowpaw, have you received a message…about a darkness in the Clans?" The ShadowClan cat's eyes widened in shock at his cousin's question.

"Yes! That's what the voice told me! You were given the same message, Foxpaw?" The leaders heard Shadowpaw's eagerness and turned to face the two.

"Can I assume this is a good thing, Shadowpaw?" Tigerstar asked his son, who nodded.

"Foxpaw knows about the message the voice told me. He was given the same one."

"Really? You didn't tell Jayfeather, Alderheart, or Asuna about it." Bramblestar told the ThunderClan apprentice.

"I was told not to say anything…but I was also told that tonight there would be a cat close to me who was given the same message. Since Shadowpaw was able to speak with StarClan, he must have been the one." He explained.

"What was the message the voice told you both?" Harestar wondered.

"After I recovered from the lightning strike, the voice told me 'There is a darkness in the Clans that must be driven out'." Shadowpaw told them. "After that, I've been continuously hearing it in my dreams."

"Does the voice sound familiar?" Leafstar asked. Shadowpaw shook his head. "Foxpaw?"

"Well, I was given the message from Spottedleaf. Since she can only talk to cats from other worlds, and me, apparently, I'm sure she wasn't the voice that Shadowpaw heard." He responded.

"So, Foxpaw was given a message from someone other than StarClan, and we think Shadowpaw was given the message from StarClan?" Mistystar asked, but her tone made it sound like she found everything hard to believe. "Was this your first time speaking with Spottedleaf, Foxpaw?" The tom nodded. "And this is all she told you?"

"Yes. She and C.C. had no other messages to tell me." He looked over at the other leaders, but they seemed unconvinced. _It's like they only believe if they know for sure the message is from StarClan._

"I think we need to follow the message these two were given." Tigerstar meowed, taking a stance next to his son. "The last time Shadowpaw was given a vision, he saw himself drowning in the flood. It almost happened, but possibly could've been avoided if we listened to him."

"Puddleshine?" Bramblestar turned his attention to the ShadowClan medicine cat. The tom hesitated before he spoke.

"I know that Shadowpaw's had important visions before, but I'm not sure how to make this one out." He stated. "This voice led you to the Moonpool, and caused you to be struck by lightning. It's not that I don't believe it, Shadowpaw, it's that I don't really know how to decipher this at all." At the medicine cat's doubt, the leaders all looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

"I'll discuss this with my deputy and medicine cats." Mistystar meowed. "I wish you all the best of luck."

"Make sure to do it as soon as possible. We need to act to figure out what this means before something dire happens." Tigerstar told the RiverClan leader, who replied with a nod. "Then it's settled on what we do next?" The other leaders nodded. "Very well then." As the cats were about to leave, Bramblestar approached the two apprentices.

"That was very brave of you to talk to everyone at the Gathering about your message, Shadowpaw. I'm sure you and Foxpaw will find out what this prophecy means in time." The ThunderClan leader gave Shadowpaw a friendly nudge, and at that moment, Foxpaw felt his Geass suddenly react. As he looked over at Bramblestar, he noticed a dark aura around the leader, a sudden chill grasping the tom. _Is this the other effect C.C. told me about?_ Foxpaw's Geass in his right eye quickly disappeared afterwards and he looked over at Shadowpaw. He immediately sensed that something was bothering him. "Come, Foxpaw."

"Yes, Bramblestar. I-I'd like to speak with Shadowpaw once more quick." The ThunderClan leader nodded and left the branch, the two apprentices alone. "Shadowpaw? Did you also see something was wrong with Bramblestar?" He nodded.

"I didn't see anything…but when we touched, something felt wrong. He's a friendly leader, but when I looked back at him, I felt nothing but fear and dread." He meowed. "Does that mean…you saw something, Foxpaw?" He nodded.

"I think my Geass reacted to something. When I looked at Bramblestar, I saw a darkness surrounding him. I felt the same way you did." Foxpaw told him.

"You have a Geass like your father?" Shadowpaw asked. Foxpaw nodded and showed the tom, his right eye bearing the red symbol before it reverted back to its violet color. "What does it do?"

"It allows me to inflict nightmares to whoever I look at. However, when I saw the aura around Bramblestar…I'm not even sure what to make of it. C.C. is the one who gave me the power and she told me that it has a secondary effect, but I have no idea what that effect was when I saw Bramblestar." Foxpaw meowed. _He can't be the darkness that the Clans need to drive out. He's ThunderClan's leader, after all…but then what could the shadowy aura around him mean?_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_Swiftpaw stretched out her _limbs and let out a yawn as she woke up. She looked next to her and saw that Foxpaw was still asleep. _I have to try again today. I'm not giving up on becoming a warrior now just because of this dumb weather. _Dawn light touched her blue eyes as she left the apprentice's den. She saw that Squirrelflight was busy forming the first dawn patrols of the day. Swiftpaw snuck over to the warriors' den to wake her mentor up. She crept slowly through the sleeping bodies in search for any patch of black fur bundled up. She saw one next to a cream coat and prodded it with her paw. Kirito let out a groan as his eyes opened, Swiftpaw standing in front of him.

"Can we go out and train later, Swiftpaw?" She shook her head.

"I want to take my warrior assessment again." Those words immediately shook the sleep off of the tom, Kirito quickly getting up from his nest. She was so happy to see how supportive he was of her. _This will be my fifth time trying after being so unlucky. Please make this be the last!_

"You'll do it this time, Swiftpaw." He meowed before letting out a yawn. "I'll go tell Bramblestar." Kirito left the den, Swiftpaw waiting for him to return.

"You know you're not supposed to be in here, Swiftpaw." The silver-and-white she-cat turned around and saw that it was Ivypool. Although she thought her mother would be mad, there was a smile on her face. "I'm sure today you'll come back and get your warrior name."

"Thanks, mom." She touched her nose to her mother's cheek. "Is dad still asleep?" Ivypool nodded. She gave her mate a small shake with her paw, his violet eyes slowly opening.

"Your daughter's going to take her warrior assessment again." She meowed before he spoke.

"You'll catch something, Swiftpaw. Just remember everything Kirito's taught you." He gave his daughter a lick on the forehead. "Looks like it's time." He pointed his tail towards the entrance to the den and saw Kirito standing there, a look of confidence on the tom's face.

"Let's go get you that warrior name."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Once Kirito and Swiftpaw stepped out into the forest, the she-cat's mentor turned to face her. "Alright, thirty minutes, like usual. Good luck, Swiftpaw." Kirito then walked into a nearby bush, leaving the apprentice alone, although she knew the tom would be watching her every move.

_Okay, I have to be smart about it this time._ Swiftpaw told herself, looking around. She tasted the air, but no scent caught her nose. She looked in the snow for any sort of tracks, but there was none. As she continued looking, an idea formed in her head. She looked up at the canopy of trees, the bright dawn sunlight shining through. _Prey would want to be in that warmth!_ She now headed around the forest, looking for the best spots where the sun shone without the blockage of trees in its way.

Swiftpaw headed towards ThunderClan's border with SkyClan, the sun aimed directly towards that area. As she walked, every pawstep crunched through the cold snow, her breath feeling as cool every time she exhaled. The she-cat slowed her pace as she watched the shade around her begin to disappear. _Please let me be right._ She prayed as she looked around. Swiftpaw stuck her head out and tasted the air. Her eyes gleamed in joy when she caught the slight scent of mouse. _Okay, calm down, Swiftpaw. Remember what Kirito told you about hunting mice. They'll feel the vibrations of the ground before anything else, so I have to be very careful._ Swiftpaw cautiously followed the scent until the mouse was in plain sight. It was like she guessed. The mouse was out in the open, food between its tiny paws as it bathed in the warmth of the sun. She brought her tail down and got into a hunter's crouch, treating every single pawstep as if her life was on the line. Once she was pawsteps away, she hoped that the mouse wouldn't notice her, despite its back being turned. In one quick move, Swiftpaw leaped towards the mouse, trapping it between her paws. With a quick bite to the neck, she killed her prey. She looked down at it in disbelief.

"Thank you, StarClan!" She meowed. Swiftpaw looked down at her mouse. It wasn't the biggest thing she had caught, so she felt like she'd try again. _Maybe this is a sign that I'll be able to hunt for more prey._ As she was thinking, a bush behind her rustled, Kirito running over to her and giving her a friendly bump with his shoulder.

"You did it, Swiftpaw! Finally!" The she-cat licked her chestfur in embarrassment. "I noticed you look around when you started, but you seemed confident afterwards."

"I wasn't just looking around for prey. I saw where the sun was pointing. I know I'd love to be in that warmth all day if I could, so I thought that there would be prey there…and I was right!"

"That's awesome!" The tom's gaze grew soft. "I'm amazed at how far you've come, Swiftpaw…but…I can't pass you." The she-cat's ears fell flat.

"What?! I can catch something else Kirito, I promise!" She protested, but the tom shook his head.

"No, you've passed the hunting portion of your test…but not the combat part." He took a few pawsteps away from her. "You've never beaten me while we've trained. Land one hit, and I'll pass you."

"That's not fair at all!" Swiftpaw meowed, but let out a smirk afterward. "But neither has the hunting portion of this test been the past four times. Today's the day I beat you, Kirito, and I don't want you passing me until I do."

"Now we're talking!" Swiftpaw buried her mouse and now stood on the opposite side of the small snowy clearing. "You know how much I want you to pass, but I won't go easy on you, Swiftpaw."

"Are you telling me you have every time we've trained?" Kirito only let out a smile.

"Okay. You ready?" He asked, the she-cat nodding with confidence. "One…two…three!" The two cats ran towards each other. She noticed that halfway, Kirito leaped towards her, the she-cat rolling into the snow below her before getting back to her paws. "Feeling cold?" The tom asked. "Remember your surroundings, Swiftpaw. Dodging that by sidestepping would've been a better choice."

Swiftpaw shook the snow off of her fur. "J-Just be quiet and fight. I don't need your tips, Kirito!"

"Suit yourself." The tom said before he ran towards her. Swiftpaw knew that there was no way she could avoid his approach, but she knew that she was able to dodge his attacks. As his pawstrikes came, she began to step back to avoid them. As she did, she watched as the tom quickly pivoted and kicked her with his hindpaws. Unlike his forepaw attacks, the reach with his kick was greater, so Swiftpaw was knocked back. She panted for her breath, the tom looking as if he hadn't been fighting at all. "You wanna give up? We'll only redo this portion for your _sixth_ warrior assessment." Anger now fueled the she-cat as she charged towards the tom. Quickly, she swiped forward with her paws, but, just like she did, Kirito easily sidestepped his attacks. _Perfect, now I'll just do what he did, but modify it._ Swiftpaw thought as she continued attacking him. When she saw an opening, she stopped and turned her back towards the tom.

"Doing the same—." Kirito stopped when he took a mouthful of snow in his mouth. Instead of using her hindlegs to attack the tom, Swiftpaw kicked up the snow into the tom's face, stunning him. _Now's my chance!_ Swiftpaw pounced towards her mentor, but he quickly fell onto his back and used his hindlegs to kick her over him. The she-cat looked at the tom in disbelief as she got back to her paws, Kirito spitting the snow out of his mouth with the time he now had.

"Why are you such a good fighter?!" Swiftpaw complained. _I didn't want to have to resort to this, but I hope what Asuna told me was right. _Like before, she ran towards the tom, Kirito standing still as he waited for her. _Hopefully it doesn't hurt too bad_. She hoped as she attacked Kirito. Instead of a forward approach, she shifted her stance with every hit, aiming at different parts of the tom's body. As she felt herself become fatigued, she knew Kirito would use it as an opening. Thinking he'd attack with his hindlegs again, Swiftpaw leaped back, but noticed that when she did, Kirito immediately leaped forward. With one powerful hit of his right forepaw, he sent Swiftpaw tumbling into the snow.

"Looks like I win again, Swiftpaw." He told the she-cat. "Swiftpaw?" Kirito walked over to where her body was. "C'mon Swiftpaw, I know you're just faking it. Get up." He shook her body, but still, her blue eyes didn't open. _Was I getting a bit too into it? I know I didn't hit her that hard._ Worry filled the tom's mind. "This isn't funny, Swiftpaw, get up." He meowed, but still, the silver-and-white tabby laid motionless. "Swiftpaw? Swiftpaw!" He called her name as she continued to shake her. _What do I do? How's it going to look like when I go back to camp with my apprentice hurt because of me?_ He began to pick the she-cat up to bring her back to camp on his back. _Gotcha!_ Immediately, Swiftpaw's eyes opened and she tackled the tom, pinning him to the ground.

"I beat you, Kirito!" She meowed with joy. Kirito looked up at her in surprise.

"Are you serious? You played dead for that long? Do you know how worried I was?!" He asked her.

"Yup. You were all like, 'Oh no, I think I killed the best apprentice I've ever had'." She mocked the tom. "Thank you, Asuna."

"Did she really tell you to beat me that way?" The tom asked, becoming flustered. "Just let me up, please." Swiftpaw got off of him and continued cheering. "You know that wasn't the fairest way to beat me."

"You said that I needed to land one hit, and I pinned you, which is even more impressive. You're the one who says to never let your guard down, remember."

"Yeah, yeah…" He meowed before letting out a smile. "What you did with the snow was really impressive, I'll give you that."

"Thanks! I thought that was what would get you, but when you were able to recover from it, I had to rely on playing dead…and your concern as a mentor." She told him. "So…did I pass?" Kirito nodded.

"That's a dumb question, don't—." He stopped when he felt Swiftpaw press her head into his chestfur.

"Thank you so much, Kirito. Being your apprentice is something I'll never forget." Kirito pressed his head onto hers. She could feel her tears begin to coat his fur.

"C'mon…you're making me cry now, Swiftpaw." He said with a sniff. She stepped away and wiped her eyes with a paw.

"S-Sorry!" She quickly apologized. Kirito ruffling the fur on her head with a paw.

"Don't sweat it." Kirito assured her. "Go get your mouse so we can tell Bramblestar the good news."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

When the two returned to camp, Foxpaw was the first to greet her. He saw the mouse that his sister was carrying and his eyes widened in joy.

"You did it!" He pressed close to her, Lelouch and Ivypool walking over to her.

"We're so proud of you, Swiftpaw." Ivypool gave her a lick to the ear. "You've definitely made your father happy. He'll finally see one of his kits become a warrior." Swiftpaw looked over at her father, a smile on the tom's face. He pressed his muzzle into her shoulder, his violet eyes filled with pride. He stepped away from his daughter when he saw Stemleaf. He tapped her on the shoulder, Swiftpaw turning to see the white and orange tom. He saw the mouse in front of her.

"Wow! Great job, Swiftpaw!" He congratulated her.

"Thanks, but it's really not that great."

"Are you kidding? With this weather that we're dealing with that's as good as a plump squirrel in greenleaf." He replied.

"Thank you, Stemleaf."

"Swiftpaw!" She turned to see Nightheart, Molewhisker following behind her. "You caught a mouse! I'm so happy for you! We can go on patrols together now!"

"Right? Although, you might be mad when I come back with more prey than you." Her older sister let out a playful giggle. Swiftpaw saw her and Molewhisker step back, Nightheart pointing behind her with her tail. She saw that it was Bramblestar. Around them both, cats began to form a makeshift circle. _I'm getting my warrior name already?_ She wondered in surprise.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" The ThunderClan leader commanded. In a matter of seconds, every cat was present. Bramblestar glanced around camp before he began. "Cats of ThunderClan, one of the greatest privileges I'm given as Clan leader is performing the warrior naming ceremony." His amber eyes looked over at Kirito. "Kirito, has Swiftpaw learned the skills of a warrior and understands the meaning of the warrior code?" The tom nodded.

"Yes, Bramblestar. We've worked hard together to reach this moment. I'm positive that she's worthy to become a warrior for ThunderClan." Bramblestar dipped his head in thanks for his confirmation.

"Then I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call on my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice." His amber eyes looked up at the sky. "She's trained hard to understand the code that you've laid out for us all, and for that, I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." His gaze now touched Swiftpaw's blue eyes. "Swiftpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." She meowed confidently.

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name." The ThunderClan leader paused. "Swiftpaw, from this moment forward, you will now be known as Swiftfrost. I know that StarClan honors your talent and diligence as we welcome a new warrior to ThunderClan." Bramblestar rested his muzzle on Swiftfrost's head, the she-cat giving him a respectful lick on the shoulder before stepping back and looking at her Clanmates.

"Swiftfrost! Swiftfrost!" Cats all clamored for the new ThunderClan warrior. Her family approached her first, pride and joy on their faces as they congratulated her.

"Swiftfrost…I'm going to have to get used calling you that from now on." Lelouch meowed, wiping his violet eyes with a paw.

"Aw, dad, were you really crying?"

"He's been waiting for this moment for so long. I wouldn't hold it against him." Ivypool told her.

"It's a wonderful name, as well." Nightheart added. "After your vigil tonight, let's go out on a hunting patrol together! I'd love to be on my sister's first official patrol as a warrior." Swiftfrost gave her sister a nod of approval. "It'll be your turn soon, Foxpaw, I'm sure of it."

"I hope so. We were made apprentices at the same time, after all." Foxpaw meowed. "Still, I'm very happy for you, Swiftfrost. I know you've waited to become a warrior for so long."

"Swiftfrost!" Asuna called as she, Kirito, and Suguha ran over to congratulate her. "We're so happy for you! You're finally a warrior!"

"I couldn't have done it without the tip you gave me, Asuna." She told her with a laugh.

"Kazuto told us. See, he's not all that strong if you know what gets to him." Suguha said with a laugh.

"Hey, give me a break already!" He meowed before letting out a sigh. "Anyway, that doesn't change how happy I am that you finally got your warrior name, Swiftfrost. It sounds awesome, too." A small blush formed on the she-cat's face. "You'll be just as great of an inspiration for future warriors as I was to you, I know it."

"T-Thank you, Kirito. None of this would've happened if it wasn't for you." She meowed. Swiftfrost looked behind the tom, her past mentor turning his head and seeing Stemleaf.

"Go talk to him. He looks happy for you." He told her.

"R-Right." She thanked her friends and family once more before she walked over to the white and orange tom.

"Swiftfrost! It's such a great name! Congrats!"

"Thank you, Stemleaf." She meowed. _I have to do this. I've been wanting this for so long._ "S-Stemleaf?"

"What is it?" The tom asked.

"I-I like you, like, I really, _really_ like you. I've felt this way for a while, a-and I've always thought that we could be mates. Now that I'm a warrior…I was thinking that we could start seeing each other a different way?" She looked into the tom's eyes, but didn't see a sense of happiness or joy. Instead, they seemed to be filled with sorrow.

"Swiftfrost…I never knew you felt that way. I'm honored, really…but I don't see you the same way. I like you a lot, but I've always thought of you as a friend. I'm sorry."

"O-Oh…" Despair hit Swiftfrost almost immediately at the tom's words, but she couldn't give up. "M-Maybe one day you'll feel the same way? This came out all of a sudden, I know, so maybe I just caught you by surprise?" Stemleaf hesitated, but he shook his head.

"I don't think so. Actually…there's another cat that I like." He looked over towards the nursery, Swiftfrost doing the same and seeing Spotfur playing with Sparkpelt and Sorrelstripe's kits.

"O-Oh…well don't worry about it at all." She assured him, her voice coated with pain. "Just…forget I said anything." Swiftfrost lowered her head as she fled across camp, away from the tom. She heard cats congratulate her as she passed, but she didn't want to hear any of it. No amount of praise was enough to fix her broken heart.

Swiftfrost ran into the warriors' and buried herself into the nearest nest she could find, the she-cat not caring about whose nest it was. _This day was supposed to be amazing…but now I wish it never happened at all._ She sobbed into her paws. _I looked so stupid confessing how I felt. If I knew he felt that way about Spotfur…I would never have…_

"Swiftfrost?" Kirito peeked inside of the warriors' den and saw the she-cat curled up in her nest. "Hey, what's wrong?" He asked after he realized she was crying. He sat down in the nest next to her.

"It's nothing, Kirito. Just…leave me alone." She told him.

"Not if you're feeling like this on your big day." He replied. "C'mon, you actually were able to pin me today! You're no longer an apprentice anymore!" Kirito meowed, hoping that it would make her feel better. "Is it Stemleaf related?" Swiftfrost didn't respond for a moment.

"He…loves Spotfur." She cried. "I thought that we'd be mates, but now…" Kirito placed his tail on the she-cat's shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay. There are plenty of other warriors you can be mates with." He told her. "I know they won't be like Stemleaf…but you'll definitely find another perfect match for you, Swiftfrost." The she-cat looked up at the tom and shook her head.

"You're just saying that."

"No I'm not! I've been your mentor for so long, Swiftfrost. I know how much fun you can be, and I know that you're one of the smartest and most talented cats in ThunderClan. Any cat would be glad to have you as a mate, I'm sure of it."

"T-Then why does Stemleaf not feel the same way?" She asked, wiping her eyes with a paw.

"Well…maybe he just hasn't been paying attention to you enough. He's been busy watching Spotfur, after all." He told her. "Everything I said before is the truth, Swiftfrost. I'd never lie to you." Swiftfrost looked up at her mentor, the same kindness that she had always seen in his dark gray eyes. Unexpectedly, Swiftfrost brought her face forward, connecting her mouth with Kirito's in a kiss.

"Swiftfrost, are you—." Lelouch looked into the warriors' den, and at the sight of the two, his face began to grow hot. "S-Sorry!" Swiftfrost pulled away from the tom at the sound of her father's voice. When she saw the embarrassed look on the Kirito's face, her face immediately burned in embarrassment.

"Kirito, I…I'm so sorry!" She ran out of the warriors' den, wanting to now find some way to escape everything. _Why'd I do something like that?! I just…I just…_

"Swiftfrost, wait!" Kirito called out as he chased after her. "I'm not mad or anything!" The she-cat ran out of camp, Kirito following behind her. He used his speed to catch up with her and moved in front of her. Once she stopped, he noticed tears in her eyes. "Hey, I'm sorry that I didn't move away. I just…thought it would make you feel better."

"N-No…that's not it at all!" She responded.

"Is it about Stemleaf still? Lelouch seeing what happened?"

"No! I just…I never meant for this to happen!" Swiftfrost cried.

"The kiss? I know it was sudden, but you don't have to worry about it, really." The tom assured her.

"It has nothing to do with the kiss, Kirito!" She spat. "I…I've always looked up to you so much as a mentor and as a hero, but I never…I never meant to fall in love with you!" Kirito felt the fur on his face grow hot.

"Y-You love me, Swiftfrost?" She nodded.

"I couldn't stop these feelings, Kirito! Ever since I was a kit, I always loved playing with you, but I knew that was because I idolized you so much. I was so happy to become your apprentice, too…but the more we trained and spent time together…I began to feel a different way towards you. You've always been so kind and supportive to me, and I know that it's just because you're my mentor, but…my heart…I never meant…" Kirito rested his muzzle on her head.

"I would never have known if you didn't tell me, Swiftfrost." He meowed. "You've done a good job keeping it hidden. With everything that happened with Stemleaf, it makes sense why it'd all come out now."

"I'm…so sorry for feeling this way about you, Kirito."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I don't see you any differently because of it." He assured her. _This is almost like what happened between Sugu and I…but at least this one's more normal than that._ "I just want you to feel a bit happier about today. You shouldn't be crying, especially after you got your warrior name."

"Sorry." She moved away from the tom and wiped her eyes with a paw. She looked up at his gentle dark gray gaze, but then looked away. "I-I can't stop feeling this way about you, Kirito. I know you have Asuna, but…" The tom raised a paw to silence her.

"Hey, your sister was sort of the same way. Asuna had no problem with it."

"But you liked Nightheart back. You probably see me exactly the same way Stemleaf does."

"Right, but it's sort of like how Twigbranch is with Noct when he was here. I wouldn't mind that. I think it's pretty cute." A blush formed on Swiftfrost's face. "Just don't feel bad about feeling this way about me, Swiftfrost. I don't mind one bit."

"O-Okay." He ruffled the fur on her head with a paw, causing the she-cat to smile.

"I know you just became a warrior, but you'll always be Swiftpaw to me." She looked over at the tom. Although she had just confessed her feelings for him, she felt that the bond of mentor and apprentice was still as strong as it always had been. "C'mon, we might have a bit of explaining to do to Lelouch when we get back."

"Oh StarClan, I can't believe dad walked in on that! I hope he didn't say anything!"

"I'll do the explaining, don't worry about it." _He'll understand…right? She's the one who kissed me after all!_

As Kirito and Swiftfrost walked back into camp, Lelouch was the first to walk over to them. Swiftfrost immediately avoided eye contact with the tom, while Kirito did the same.

"Is everything okay between you both?" The violet-eyed tom asked.

"Y-Yeah! Everything's fine!" Kirito quickly told him, letting out a sigh. "What you saw wasn't what it looked like. I mean, it was, but…"

"I-I'm the one who kissed him, dad." Swiftfrost confessed. "He didn't know it was going to happen…and neither did I, to be honest. He was just being as thoughtful as caring as he's always been…and my body decided to react that way." Lelouch dipped his head, understanding what his daughter was trying to tell him.

"I'm not mad or anything, if that's what you think. I should be the one apologizing for walking in. I didn't expect that to happen between you both."

"N-Neither did I!" Kirito quickly meowed. He then looked at Swiftfrost and pushed her closer to him with a paw. "But we talked, and I know why it all happened." Before Lelouch could reply, Ivypool joined them.

"Is everything okay, Swiftfrost?" She asked her daughter, concern in her meow.

"Y-Yeah, I'm okay. Sorry if I worried you, mom." Ivypool gave her a gentle lick to the ear.

"What happened?" The silver and white tabby wondered. Swiftfrost let out a sigh.

"After I got my warrior name…I went to speak with Stemleaf. I've liked him for a while…but when I told him how I felt…he didn't feel the same way. Kirito went to cheer me up, and I ran away because…he and I…" Ivypool saw how embarrassed she was getting, and saw that Kirito was acting the same way.

"O-Oh!" A small blush formed on Ivypool's face when she realized what happened between the two. "I mean…a warrior being in a relationship with—."

"W-We're not!" Swiftfrost quickly corrected her. "I'm the one who kissed him. It was my fault. He didn't know it was going to happen."

"Sorry!" Her mother apologized. "I've probably embarrassed you both so much just now."

"I-It's cool, Ivypool, really." Kirito assured her. "Do you think I can, y'know…go now?" Lelouch let out a chuckle before nodding, Kirito dipping his head in thanks before he left. Ivypool looked over at her mate.

"Do you mind if I talk with Swiftfrost alone?"

"Yeah. Take all the time you need." Lelouch stepped away from the two, Ivypool and Swiftfrost resting down on the snow.

"I just wanted to talk more about how you're feeling." She meowed. "I'm happy that Kirito was able to make you feel better…but I think it might just be only a temporary thing."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that you still have feelings for Stemleaf, even though he doesn't feel the same way." Ivypool told her. "I know exactly how you're feeling."

"You do? But you're so beautiful, mom! Did someone reject you before dad came to ThunderClan?" She shook her head.

"It was more of my own doing." She meowed. "When your father first came to ThunderClan, I was one of the few cats he got to know quickly. When we'd talk, I felt so happy getting to know more about him. He won't admit it, but he's very sweet when he doesn't mean to be." She glanced over at her mate before looking back at her daughter. "I began to fall in love with him before the Great Battle with the Dark Forest, but after that, I began to worry."

"Why?"

"Because I wasn't even sure if he would love me back. He's a Twoleg, after all, so I knew falling in love with him was strange…but I couldn't stop it from happening, and I'm glad I didn't. When it came to telling him how I felt, I was surprised when he was the one to confess his feelings for me, but as we walked into the forest so he could tell me, the thought of him possibly rejecting me was in my mind. I knew that him saying no was a possibility, and I knew that I wouldn't be ready for the heartbreak I'd feel afterwards." Ivypool let out a sigh. "I know it really isn't exactly the same situation that you're in, but I definitely know that the feelings you're going through are close to how I was feeling that day." She gave her daughter a lick to the ear. "You're a beautiful she-cat, Swiftfrost. Don't let Stemleaf not reciprocating the same feelings back bring you down. The right mate can come at any time, you just have to be patient."

"I'll try, mom." She meowed, Ivypool letting out a smile. "I hope it'll be like what happened with you and dad."

"Well that's asking for a lot." The silver-and-white she-cat meowed with a small laugh. "I'm sure someone in ThunderClan will have their eyes on you eventually, Swiftfrost."

Inside the warriors' den, Nightheart sat with Molewhisker, Kirito, Asuna, and Suguha, the tom explaining everything that had just happened between him and Swiftfrost.

"Looks like all my competition is coming from Lelouch's daughters." Asuna joked, causing Nightheart to blush.

"Wait, you like Kirito?" Molewhisker asked.

"I did…but I knew he was already with Asuna." The violet-eyed she-cat replied.

"I'm guessing your memories about Nightheart haven't come back?" Suguha asked, the brown and cream tom replying with a nod. "Do you at least have feelings for her yet?" The tom stayed silent, not wanting to answer the question. Suguha watched as the violet-eyed she-cat got up from her bedding and made her way towards the exit of the den. "Nightheart, I didn't mean—."

"Nice going, Sugu." Kirito meowed, Asuna giving him a small scratch with a claw. "Ow! Bad timing, I know!"

"Well then don't say anything next time!" The cream she-cat retorted. She looked over at Molewhisker. "You can see how distraught Nightheart is, right?" He nodded.

"This is starting to sound like my fault…but at the same time, what can I do about it? I can't just fall in love with her automatically."

"It's okay. What happened just now was my fault." Suguha assured the tom. "I just want to see her happy again, that's all." The black she-cat got up and left the den, looking for Nightheart. She found her sitting alone and rested down next to her. "Nightheart, I'm so sorry for bringing that up. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know. I just…don't know if I can do this anymore, Suguha." She meowed. "I love Molewhisker…but what's the point of he doesn't feel the same way?" Nightheart buried her head in her paws. "This is all my fault. If I didn't accidentally use my Geass on him this would never have happened!" She cried.

"Is she okay?" Suguha looked up and saw that it was Molewhisker. "Can I talk with her alone, Suguha?" The black she-cat nodded and Molewhisker took her spot. "Listen, Nightheart. I'm really sorry that I'm the reason you're going through all of this." He apologized. "I know that I haven't got to know you that long yet, but from what I've seen, I'm sure that I was happy being your mate." The she-cat's violet eyes touched the tom's. "Seeing you this sad must mean that you really do care about me. I just...I wish I could feel the way you want me to, at least to help you."

"Molewhisker…thank you." She gave the tom a lick to the cheek, causing the fur on his face to grow hot. "Just hearing you say that is enough. I know love isn't something that can happen so suddenly, but I just hope that we can become mates again."

"I'd say it's possible. After all, you're the only one I've forgotten, so basically I know that no cats around camp have any sort of feelings for me." He said with a small chuckle. "You must've been one lucky cat." The she-cat let out a giggle. "So…before you had Lelouch's Geass, you had one that allowed you to sustain the injuries of a cat that you used it on?" She nodded.

"I used it on you so you wouldn't get hurt when we fought the rogues."

"Really? I remember that battle…and I do remember barely getting hurt at all." The tom recalled. "It didn't hurt too badly, did it?" She shook her head. "Good to know." The tom shuffled his paws. "Do you think that's when I started having feelings for you?"

"I can't say for certain. You're the only one who would know that." She meowed. "I didn't protect you so you'd have feelings for me. That definitely wasn't my intention. Actually, I wasn't as fond of you before that battle. Our opinions about SkyClan differed greatly."

"I see. But we still became mates?" Nightheart nodded.

"After Dovewing returned, I think I began seeing that you had feelings for me. You stood up for me when ShadowClan came to check on Puddleshine the first time, and then later on you helped me look for Swiftfrost when she went missing."

"I remember both those times, but…" The tom placed a paw on his head, letting out a groan of pain.

"Are you okay?" She asked, worry in her voice.

"I…I don't know." He panted. "I'm thinking about when Swiftfrost got lost…and I remember me being by the lake with…someone."

"That was me! Molewhisker, please remember!" She pleaded. The tom shook off the pain he was feeling and looked over at the she-cat.

"It had to be. I remember a black cat with violet eyes, and I know for sure Lelouch was on the other side of our territory." He told her. "Other than that…I remember hearing Lelouch call for us." He could see the she-cat's violet eyes begin to glisten.

"I'm glad that you remember that, Molewhisker." The she-cat meowed. "Before we became mates, you told me that you would've asked me to be your mate that day if my father hadn't called for us."

"Maybe that's why I suddenly felt myself trying to remember. That was the day I wanted to tell you how I felt, and it had to be important to me." He told her.

"D-Did you want me to continue? I know I want you to regain your memories of me, Molewhisker, but I don't want you getting hurt in the process."

"Right. Maybe we can stop there for now, if that's okay with you, Nightheart." The she-cat nodded, a smile on her face.

"I'm just glad we're getting somewhere with regaining your memories." She meowed. "Would you like to go and share a piece of fresh-kill with me?"

"I'd love to." He meowed with a smile. Over at the fresh-kill pile, the two ran into Foxpaw, the tom looking through for a good piece of prey. "Hey, Foxpaw." The tom greeted him.

"Hello Molewhisker. Oh, and big sister as well. Have you remembered about her being your mate yet?"

"Not yet, but he's making progress." The violet-eyed she-cat meowed. "What are you looking for? There isn't really much to choose from, after all."

"Right. Well, I saw how sad Swiftfrost was and I'm trying to pick the piece that would make her happy."

"Aw, you're such a sweet brother, Foxpaw." Nightheart gave him a loving lick to the ear.

"Sister, you're not mother, you know!" He meowed in embarrassment, causing her to giggle.

"Sorry. We'll just take these mice over here and we'll be out of your way." She meowed, the pair picking up the prey. "Bye, Foxpaw." Foxpaw watched as they left, but as he did, he felt his Geass suddenly activate. _W-What is it now?_ He wondered. As he looked over at Nightheart and Molewhisker, he let out a gasp. Just like with Bramblestar, a dark aura surrounded his sister. _N-Nightheart, too? What could this power be? She's always been so nice to me, and Bramblestar isn't a bad cat, either._ He then noticed that around Molewhisker, a bright aura radiated. _Molewhisker's aura is different from theirs. The dark aura has to be bad…but why is it around Nightheart?_ The tom's eyes widened in shock. _I-Is it because she killed those rogues? But it was done for a good cause! Still…murder is seen as bad…but if that's the case, then what has Bramblestar done?_ Once his right eye reverted back to normal, he looked back at Molewhisker. _His aura was bright, and I could feel a sense of warmth and peace when I looked at him. Could that mean that he'll be able to stop whatever's happening with Bramblestar and my sister?_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

_Nightheart gazed across the_ snowy field, the sky above her a crimson red. _Why won't these dreams stop?_ She wondered. In front of her stood the three cats she had murdered using her Geass. They charged straight towards her, but before Nightheart could do anything, a bright flash blinded her. Once it faded, the scene of the death of the three cats she caused was in front of her. Their lifeless eyes, their blood now flowing through her paws.

"You're a murder…" Nightheart turned around and saw Ivypool standing there, a coldness in her blue eyes.

"I-I did it for Foxpaw and Suguha! Mother, please understand!" Nightheart begged. Next to her, she watched as Swiftfrost appeared, fear in her eyes.

"N-Nightheart…did you do this?" She asked, stepping away from her older sister.

"Y-Yes, I did." She confessed. "Please, don't look at me like that…please…" She begged. "I'm not a bad cat…you both know that!"

"What if one of your Clanmates irritates you? Will you use your Geass to kill them as well?" Ivypool asked, walking towards her daughter.

"I wouldn't! Mother, you know that!"

"How can I be sure? The cat I'm looking at…she isn't my daughter. She's not the Nightheart I know and love." The violet-eyed she-cat looked down into the pool of blood and saw her reflection. Blood coated her unkempt fur, her Geass encompassed in her right eye.

"No! This isn't how I am at all!" Tears filled the she-cat's eyes as she collapsed onto the ground, her surroundings immediately changing into a moonlit field.

"The power of absolute obedience in your paws…and yet you can't accept it?" Nightheart looked up and saw an amber-eyes tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat standing in front of her.

"W-Who are you?" Nightheart asked. The she-cat shook her head.

"That isn't important. I've seen your countless struggles, Nightheart. The fact that you murdered those good-for-nothing rogues shouldn't be something you fear." The mysterious she-cat told her. "It shows a strength that you have unlike any other cat. You can use this strength for your Clans and yourself. Think about how much bloodshed can be avoided when your Clan is fighting with another."

"I…I know that it can be used to stop fighting…but I didn't show those rogues any mercy. I made them let me kill them. Their cries of pain when I did it…" The she-cat began to feel nauseous at the memory of it. The she-cat placed her tail on her shoulder.

"That bothersome feeling will go away the more times you do it, Nightheart. With your power, taking the lives of cats will be something you get used to."

"But I don't want to get used to it!"

"Oh, and what if your brother and sister are in danger? Your parents? Molewhisker? Suguha? Will you have time to think of another command to give that will guarantee their safety?" The amber-eyed she-cat asked. "Anyone that harms them deserves nothing less than death…just like those rogues."

"That's enough!" The amber-eyed she-cat let out a growl of annoyance as a bright light consumed Nightheart. When it faded, Nightheart now saw an orange tabby she-cat standing over her, worry in her golden eyes. "Are you alright?"

"C-C.C.?" Nightheart had never seen her as a cat before, but she knew her voice. Usually she was in the form of a Twoleg most of the time. The she-cat nodded. "Who was that other cat?"

"Someone you don't want to listen to. Spottedleaf can tell you more about her when she returns. She told me this might've happened."

"She's gone again?" C.C. nodded.

"Unfortunately. I'm also sorry for only appearing to you now, Nightheart. I've seen the nightmares you've been facing, but I didn't want to intervene in hope that you'd figure everything out by yourself."

"I-I know what I did was justified…but I can't fully convince myself that it was. Father said he had used his Geass to kill before, but I'm sure he's never been like this before."

"That's because you're more kindhearted than Lelouch ever has been." C.C. said, letting out a smile. "However, his Geass has put him in trouble more than once where he's regretted using the power." The tabby rested down in front of Nightheart. "Do you hate me for granting you the power of Geass, Nightheart?"

"I could never hate you, C.C. This power has changed my life so much, but in the beginning, it allowed me to save Kirito. I just didn't know that this would turn into father giving me his immortal code and his Geass as well."

"You're sweet…maybe too sweet." Nightheart let out a small giggle. "These nightmares will continue to occur the more you fear the choice you made. You committed murder because they hurt your best friend and your brother. One murder doesn't change the cat you are, Nightheart. The power of Geass Lelouch transferred to you can be used for good in more ways than just using it to kill those who hurt your loved ones. Never see it as just a tool for killing. That's the last thing Lelouch and I would ever want."

"Yes, C.C. Thank you." Nightheart meowed. "C.C.?" The orange tabby's ears twitched with curiosity.

"What is it?"

"Father told me that the Geass command I used on Molewhisker could be broken. He had a reaction the other day, and I was wondering if you knew more about it."

"Right, the command you gave to him to forget about you." Just hearing about what she did accidentally broke Nightheart inside. "It all depends on the per-, sorry, cat, that you used it on. If they have a strong willingness to break free from the command, it is possible. The reaction that he had was a small glimpse of it breaking." C.C. meowed. "I'm sorry that there's nothing I can do to break it myself. If there was a way, I would." Nightheart shook her head.

"What happened was my fault, alone. I'm grateful that you'd offer to help me, C.C." The she-cat thanked her. "Father really never told me how kind you were. He's always told me about your mischievousness."

"I will admit that I've caused him some trouble, but I'd said it kept him more human at the same time." She replied. "I'd never cause that trouble for someone like you, Nightheart. I'll do my best to try and protect you in any way possible." Nightheart watched as the she-cat began to glow. "Don't let any darkness consume you, Nightheart. Remember that." Once C.C. disappeared, Nightheart's vision faded to black.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Nightheart, hey, are you okay?" The black she-cat's violet eyes slowly opened and saw that it was Fernsong, the yellow tabby's green eyes filled with worry. He let out a sigh of relief. "Thank StarClan you're alright."

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Fernsong." Nightheart apologized. She looked outside and saw that it was still dark. "Was I talking in my sleep?"

"Yeah. You sounded scared at first, and you were shaking. Was it a nightmare?"

"Yes, but I think I should be okay for now."

"Are you sure? This isn't the first time it's happened." The tom meowed. "Why don't we go out to clear your mind?" Nightheart hesitated. Even though she had been making progress with Molewhisker, she knew that ever since Fernsong confessed his feelings for her, she could slowly feel those same ones slowly blossoming inside of her. _Fernsong's just trying to be nice. He already said he doesn't want to try and be mates._ The she-cat nodded and slowly got up from her bedding, the two making their way out of camp.

"You said this wasn't the first time I've had a nightmare, Fernsong. Have I woken you up before?" The tom nodded. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. I just didn't want to bother you at the time, but tonight's just seemed a bit worse than the other times." He meowed. "What was it about?" Nightheart stopped, Fernsong turning around to face her. "Nightheart?"

"I'm sorry, Fernsong. It's not something I really would like to share."

"Oh, well from the looks of it, it must've been a really bad dream. Is there anything I can do to help?" The she-cat shook her head.

"It's something I need to conquer myself."

"Gotcha." The two continued walking, the chilly night air blowing through their fur. "So…how's Molewhisker doing?"

"Better. He said he started to remember something when I talked with him yesterday."

"That's great! Hopefully it's just a few more days until he's back to remembering you again." Fernsong said.

"I hope so." The she-cat meowed. Although she was initially happy being able to speak with Fernsong, she felt as if she was being disloyal to Molewhisker, even though the tom's intentions were friendly. "C-Can we go back to camp?" The tom nodded and the two followed their snowy pawprints back to camp. When the two crossed through the thorn tunnel, they bumped into Molewhisker.

"There you are, Nightheart. You okay?" The brown-and-cream tom's amber gaze looked over at Fernsong. "Did you go out and help her, Fernsong?"

"Yeah. She said she was having a nightmare, so I just wanted to talk with her. I-I don't want it to seem like I'm trying to get between you both or anything!" He quickly assured him.

"R-Right! Fernsong would never do such a thing."

"I know. Y'know, you both are the ones who brought it up." Molewhisker said, letting out a small laugh. "Do you mind if I speak with Nightheart for a bit?"

"You both are mates after all." The yellow tabby meowed. "I'll go back to sleep. Goodnight, you two."

"Thank you again for speaking with me, Fernsong." Nightheart meowed before the tom headed back into the warriors' den. Nightheart's violet gaze touched Molewhisker's amber eyes. "I-I'm sorry if it was a mistake going out to speak with Fernsong, Molewhisker."

"I told you both it was okay. He helped you, after all." The tom assured her. "Although, you could've asked me for help, you know."

"I didn't want to bother you while you were sleeping. Fernsong was the one who woke me up. He said I was having a nightmare."

"Again? The same one that you can't share with me?" The she-cat nodded. "Did you tell Fernsong?" The she-cat shook her head.

"I don't share my nightmares with you, so I definitely wouldn't share it with him." She assured the tom. "I know you want to help me, Molewhisker…but it's something I need to solve myself." The tom gave her an understanding nod. "Thank you." She gave the tom a lick to the cheek. "Hopefully we can work more on regaining your memory tomorrow."

"I'd like that." The tom meowed. "Nightheart?"

"Yes?"

"Fernsong…do you like him? The same way you like me?"

"N-No! We're just friends!"

"R-Right. Sorry, it's just…I'm slowly beginning to develop feelings for you…but if things don't return back to normal like they were before you used your Geass on me, I wouldn't be mad if you looked for another mate, and he seems like a good choice for you." The violet-eyed she-cat shook her head. She knew that she was beginning to grow fond of the yellow tabby, but Molewhisker was the one she knew deserved to be with her. He had never done anything wrong to deserve not having her as a mate.

"Molewhisker, I'll never give up on breaking the Geass I placed on you. We're mates, and I love you so much. I know deep down you feel the same way…and it's my fault that part of you is sealed away. When you offered to save me from the river when I saved Shadowpaw and told me how you felt…I was so happy. I had fallen for Kirito…but when a cat tells you how they feel instead of you doing it first…it's different. It told me how much you appreciated being around me and that you wouldn't mind spending your entire life by my side. I can't let something like that just slip away." The she-cat wiped her eyes with a paw.

"Nightheart…" The tom could feel his chest begin to tighten at the she-cat's loving words. "This must be why I felt jealous minutes ago when I saw you and Fernsong enter camp." Nightheart saw a red ring begin to glow around the tom's eyes before they closed, Molewhisker letting out a small groan of pain. As she approached to help, the tom shook his head. "D-Don't, I'm okay…" He assured her. "The river…I'm starting to remember it, too. This pain is a good sign, remember?"

"Still, it makes me worried seeing you in pain." She meowed.

"I'll be fine." He meowed as he slowly got to his paws. "I think…we should…get back to—." Nightheart watched as Molewhisker collapsed onto the snow.

"Molewhisker!" The she-cat placed her ear close to the tom's chest, relief flowing over her when she picked up a faint heartbeat. _Thank StarClan._ _I need to bring him to the medicine cat's den._ Nightheart made her way to the warriors' den and cautiously watched where she stepped.

"Is everything alright?" Fernsong whispered, the tom still awake. Nightheart nodded.

"Molewhisker fainted, but he still has a heartbeat. I think it's his memories coming back to him." She meowed, causing the tom to smile. When Nightheart was close enough, she placed a paw on Asuna and gave her a small shake. "Asuna?" The she-cat's hazel eyes slowly opened.

"N-Nightheart? What's wrong?"

"It's Molewhisker. He fainted. I could hear a heartbeat, but I was hoping you could make sure he was okay."

"Y-Yeah, I can…" Asuna let out a yawn. "I'm sorry, this isn't really professional of me." When she got to her paws, Asuna stretched her limbs out. "Okay, okay, I'm awake. Where is he?" Nightheart left the den, Asuna following behind her. When they reached the tom, Asuna's hazel eyes began to glow as she looked over the tom. Once they reverted back to their normal hazel hue, she looked over at the black she-cat. "Help me carry him to the medicine cat's den. He'll be staying there for a while." Nightheart nodded, the two moving Molewhisker out of the cold and into the den. They placed him down on a vacant nest.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"He should be. His condition is similar to how Lelouch was when we came back from the gorge." Asuna meowed. "What happened, Nightheart?"

"I was talking to him, and I think his memories of me are trying to resurface. I-I didn't mean to bring anything up now and was hoping to do so this morning…but when I did, his head started to hurt. The same thing happened yesterday as well, but not to this degree."

"Oh…so this is good then! It has to be that he's remembering you! I'm so happy!"

"A-Asuna, what's going on?" Jayfeather asked as he slowly woke up. "Nightheart too? Is Molewhisker here as well?"

"Yes. He fainted, but it's a good thing. We think it's because he's remembering Nightheart again." The cream she-cat told him.

"That's…great. Can you both leave now so I can rest?"

"Sorry, Jayfeather." The violet-eyed she-cat apologized before she and Asuna left the den. As the two were walking back to the warriors' den, Asuna softly bumped into Nightheart to get her attention.

"I'm so happy for you, Nightheart. What you did was an accident, but Molewhisker's memories are returning quickly." Asuna let out a gasp. "It has to be because he really loves you! This is so cute!" Nightheart began to blush at her comments. "I don't mean to rush you both, but you should ask him 'the question' when he wakes up if his memory returns."

"'The…question'?" Nightheart's eyes widened when she realized what Asuna was hinting at. "K-Kits? Asuna, I don't know if I'm ready to be a mother yet!"

"You're right, you're right, sorry! I just think you both are so adorable together! Even though he doesn't remember you, I can see how much you actually love him and you're working so hard to make his memories come back. A love like that will definitely last." Nightheart let out a smile. _A love that will last... That's all I could wish for._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Squirrelflight ordered the final border patrol of the day as the sun began to set. The deputy stood near the warriors' den, organizing hunting patrols in hopes that more prey would be found in the harshness of leaf-bare. Foxpaw sat beside Suguha, the tom unable to fight off the constant worry in his mind. _This power given to me is starting to bring me more worry than help. I just don't understand it, and C.C. hasn't spoken to me about it at all._

"Foxpaw?" The tom looked over at his mentor. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, Suguha. I was just thinking about something." As he looked at his mentor, Foxpaw wondered why his Geass didn't seem to react. _Suguha's been a hero for ThunderClan before, and so have Kirito, Asuna, and father as well…so why is it that I've only ever seen a bright aura around Molewhisker?_ He wondered.

"You're thinking about something, aren't you?" The black she-cat asked. "I've been your mentor for a while, so I know when something's on your mind."

"I guess I can't hide anything from you, can I?" He said, letting out a small laugh. _Should I tell Suguha? She's my mentor after all…and I really do trust her. Besides, Shadowpaw's the only one who knows about my power and he's in ShadowClan. I'd appreciate having a cat that I'm able to speak with about whatever is going on._ "It's—."

"Suguha, Foxpaw, can you come over here, please?" Squirrelflight called the two.

"You can tell me later, Foxpaw." The mentor and apprentice got up and walked over to where Squirrelflight was waiting for them. They joined up with Swiftfrost and Kirito who were among the hunting patrol alongside Fernsong, Leafshade, Rosepetal, Thornclaw, and Dewnose.

"Looks like the gang's back together again." Kirito greeted them once they arrived. "C'mon, let's try our best out there."

"I hope you four do." Bramblestar meowed. "I don't want you coming back unless you've caught something." Foxpaw looked at the leader in surprise at his stern tone. "You both may not originally be cats, but you've decided to stay here and become warriors, so you better hunt for the survival of the Clan that's given you a home." Squirrelflight touched the tom's shoulder with her tail.

"Don't you think you're being a bit too harsh? The weather's terrible, and everyone's trying their best. They also have an apprentice with them." She meowed. The tom turned to face her, malice in his eyes.

"Of course you'd make excuses for them. You've always had a soft spot for weak cats."

"Weak?" Kirito meowed, but was quickly shoved by his cousin.

"Not now!" She quickly whispered. Foxpaw could tell that the comment bothered Kirito, as well as his sister. Meanwhile, both he, Suguha, and Squirrelflight were more confused than angry at the leader's remark. Immediately, Bramblestar let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry for sounding so harsh. The weight of caring for the Clan in this horrid weather is taking its toll on me. Seeing my Clanmates starve is the last thing I want to see." Squirrelflight's gaze grew soft, and she pressed close to her mate.

"It's okay. We understand what's going through your mind."

"Thank you." He looked at the other four. "I'll lead this hunting patrol. Follow me." The leader made his way to the camp exit, Squirrelflight following behind him. As they were walking through the forest, Foxpaw broke away from Suguha and walked beside his sister.

"Can you believe what Bramblestar said?" Swiftfrost asked.

"Not at all. I think…something's wrong with him." He told her.

"Really? Like what?"

"I'm not sure, but he's definitely not himself." He meowed. "So, how's it like finally being a warrior?"

"I can't really answer that yet. It only happened a few days ago, after all. Just hope you become a warrior during Newleaf, because a silent vigil alone in the snow isn't exactly fun at all." She meowed. "So…how's your Geass? Is it bothering you?" Foxpaw hesitated. He knew that he wanted to tell Suguha about his Geass' sudden secondary effect, but his sister was as close to him.

"No, it's been fine." He lied. _I'll tell Suguha for now, and then Swiftfrost when the time comes._ "It's not exactly something I can use a lot like Nightheart. It's very niche."

"And scary, I bet."

"Hey! Focus!" Bramblestar yelled back at the two.

"It's not exactly easy when you're stepping so loudly, Bramblestar." Kirito meowed. Bramblestar turned around to face the tom.

"He didn't mean to offend you or anything, Bramblestar." Suguha apologized.

"I'm just being honest, that's all." Kirito added. "We want to hunt for the Clan as much as you do, but we can't if you're taking such heavy steps."

"He's right, Bramblestar. Are you—?" The tom stepped away when he felt Squirrelflight's tail touch his shoulder.

"For StarClan's sake, I'm fine! Leave me—." The tom let out a cry before his hindlegs seemed to collapse under him and his body fell to the snow.

"Bramblestar!" Squirrelflight looked down at the unconscious Clan leader with worry. "He's still breathing. We need to have Asuna look over him. Kirito, can you and Swiftfrost help carry him back to camp? I'll finish hunting with the rest of the cats."

"Got it. Let's go, Swiftfrost." As Foxpaw watched the two begin to help the ThunderClan leader, his Geass activated. He looked over at Bramblestar and saw the same dark aura around him that he saw before, but like with Molewhisker, he saw a light aura radiating around Swiftfrost. _Swiftfrost too?_

"Foxpaw!" Suguha ran over to the tom to check on him. She noticed that his Geass had activated, but wore off a few seconds later. "Are you okay?" He nodded. Squirrelflight walked over to them, concern in her eyes.

"Is the weather too much for Foxpaw?"

"I'm okay." He assured her, but the deputy shook her head.

"Go back to camp with Suguha, Foxpaw." She moved closer to the tom. "You might want to talk with Lelouch about what just happened." The deputy whispered. _She noticed my Geass activate as well?_ _Squirrelflight's one of the last cats I'd want to explain my Geass to, especially since Bramblestar's her mate as well._ He nodded and walked with Suguha back to camp.

"So, what happened with your Geass, Foxpaw? I know you didn't want to use it on anyone, I'm sure of it." The black she-cat meowed.

"That's what I was going to tell you about before Squirrelflight asked us to join the hunting patrol." He meowed. "I need you to keep this a secret between us. I know she told me to tell my father…but I don't think I will, at least, not yet."

"Okay." Foxpaw let out a breath.

"At the Gathering the other day, when I was talking with Shadowpaw, my Geass seemed to react when I looked at Bramblestar. There was a darkness surrounding him…and I saw that same darkness just now while he was unconscious." Suguha looked at the tom in surprise.

"Really? Is something wrong with him?"

"I think so, which would explain his outburst and movements earlier." He meowed. _I shouldn't tell any cat about Nightheart. I know my sister isn't evil, but the darkness around her is something I want to solve by myself._ "Shadowpaw said he felt a sense of dread when he was close to Bramblestar as well, so I know that something's going on, or that he may be in trouble." He stated.

"Well, don't go being reckless. I can't have you getting hurt trying to find out what's wrong with Bramblestar. If you need help, don't hesitate to ask me, Foxpaw." The apprentice dipped his head in thanks.

"Thank you, Suguha. I know I can always rely on you whenever the time comes." The mentor blushed at the tom's praise.

"Thanks, Foxpaw. Y'know, maybe you'll become a warrior soon. We can't let Swiftfrost be too ahead of you."

"I'd like that, although all this stuff about having Geass and being able to see darkness around cats is a bit overwhelming. Training to become a warrior was more than enough."

"I'm sure you wouldn't have been given this power if you weren't capable, Foxpaw. Whatever's coming our way, I know you'll be there to help." The she-cat let out a giggle. "We'll have to train ten times harder now. It's my job to prepare you for everything, after all." The tom nodded, a smile on his face. _Right, if this is the destiny placed at my paws, my warrior training is definitely important._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Asuna's hazel eyes glowed as she looked over the fallen ThunderClan leader. As usual, all of the cat's vitals appeared, and she was relieved to see that he was still alive, however, her power wasn't able to diagnose what was wrong with him.

"Is my father okay?" Alderheart asked, worry in his meow.

"I think so…but I have no idea what's wrong with him. The symptoms seem out of the ordinary, too. He was just walking and collapsed all of a sudden?"

"Are you saying that you don't think this is an illness of some sort?" Jayfeather asked.

"Yes. Think about it. Bramblestar has shown no signs of fatigue at all. He's been worried about the Clan, that's all." Asuna placed a paw on the tom's body. "He's cold, too, and it's not just because of the weather." Alderheart and Jayfeather did the same, noticing that the she-cat was right. Suddenly, she saw movement from the tom, Bramblestar's amber gaze looking up at her. "Are you okay, Bramblestar?"

"I…I don't know." He huffed, his breathing heavy. "I…had a bad dream. The sky…there were no stars in it. The Clans were all fighting each other…and then a darkness consumed everything." He looked over at his son. "Has…StarClan forsaken us?" Asuna saw an expression of warning in Jayfeather's blind gaze as he looked at Alderheart. The medicine cats had promised not to say anything about StarClan, but Alderheart couldn't help himself. He had to let his father know what had been happening.

"StarClan…still hasn't spoken with us yet." He confessed. "We don't know why, either."

"Alderheart! We promised not to say anything! Do you—."

"Why have you chosen to hide StarClan's abandonment from your leader?" Bramblestar asked. "This is…a very important issue that…we must figure out." He coughed. "Alderheart…I'll remember that you were at least honest to me."

"Remember? Bramblestar, don't speak like that. We won't let you die!" Asuna meowed. _Is that even possible? It has to be! We saved Puddleshine by using an unconventional method in the form of deathberries, so there has to be something that'll cure him!_ Bramblestar's body convulsed and he let out a small groan of pain.

"You three…need to reconnect with StarClan. Please…get Squirrelflight and tell her to relay the message to the other leaders." Asuna watched as the leader's amber eyes slowly closed, his body falling limp on the bedding below him. "I'll go get Squirrelflight." The cream she-cat left the medicine cat's den and looked around camp for the deputy. Once she saw her, Asuna walked towards her, worry in the deputy's eyes.

"How is he?"

"He's…not doing well. You'll have to take over the leader position for him while he recovers."

"What?!" Squirrelflight barged into the medicine cat's den and saw Bramblestar. "No…he has to still be alive, he just has to be!"

"We don't think he's dead, but he may be losing a life." Jayfeather meowed. "We don't know what's causing his illness, but if we don't figure it out soon, he might lose more than just one."

"He wanted us to tell you something." Alderheart meowed. "He said that you needed to tell the other leaders that we need to reconnect with StarClan."

"Reconnect with StarClan? Does this mean that we're in danger, Alderheart?" Her son nodded. "What have we done to deserve this?"

"If we knew, we'd do something, but even the medicine cats are unsure." Jayfeather meowed. "Squirrelflight, you need to lead ThunderClan for now. It's the least you can do."

"Right. Asuna told me the same thing." The deputy looked over at the entrance and saw Asuna walk inside. "I should get going now. Please let me know if anything comes up with Bramblestar." The three nodded, Squirrelflight leaving the medicine cat's den. She looked around camp until saw Lelouch, the violet-eyed tom sitting beside Ivypool. She approached the two, who greeted her with a nod.

"How's Bramblestar?" Ivypool asked.

"Not good. I need to take his place as leader for the time being." She told them. "I know that Bramblestar's always asked you for when I've been unable to be deputy, but do you mind being deputy while I'm standing in as leader, Lelouch?" The tom nodded.

"I'd be honored to, Squirrelflight." He told her.

"Thank you so much, Lelouch." She dipped her head in thanks. "Has Foxpaw talked to you about his Geass?" Lelouch and Ivypool both looked at each other.

"Did something happen with him?" Ivypool asked the deputy.

"I'm not sure. When we were out hunting, he seemed to activate it after Bramblestar fainted."

"Are you saying that Foxpaw caused Bramblestar to fall ill?" The silver-and-white she-cat asked with worry.

"No, I'm sure that wasn't it at all. Something seemed wrong with Bramblestar before that happened." Ivypool let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank StarClan." She looked over at her mate. "You should talk with him. You're the reason he has Geass, after all."

"Partly the reason…but you're right. Thank you for telling me, Squirrelflight." Lelouch got to his paws and made his way over to the apprentice's den. Now that Swiftfrost was a warrior, Foxpaw had the den all to himself. He raised his head from his bedding and saw his father.

"Hello, father."

"Hey." He rested down in front of his son. "Foxpaw, Squirrelflight just told me that you used your Geass earlier when you went out on a hunting patrol."

"O-Oh…"

"Were you not going to tell me?" Lelouch asked. "Foxpaw, when it comes to Geass, you have to at least be honest with me about it. Did you think you were in danger out there because of how Bramblestar was acting?" Foxpaw hesitated before he shook his head.

"It was the other power that my Geass has."

"You figured it out?" Foxpaw nodded. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure. When I looked at Bramblestar, there was a dark aura around him. I saw that same aura the night of the Gathering when I spoke with Shadowpaw. That was when it first activated."

"I see. Anything else?"

"W-When I looked at Molewhisker, a bright aura was around him…and I saw the same aura around Swiftfrost, too."

"A light and dark aura? That has to mean something is wrong with Bramblestar…but what about Swiftfrost and Molewhisker?" Lelouch thought to himself. "Can you use it now to see the aura around me?" Foxpaw shook his head.

"Every time it's happened it's been involuntary. When I saw Bramblestar earlier, I only saw an aura around him and Swiftfrost. Not every cat seems to have one." Foxpaw watched as his father began to think about his Geass' power.

"Did you tell anyone about Bramblestar other than Shadowpaw?"

"I only told Suguha. I haven't even told Molewhisker and Swiftfrost about the aura I saw around them, either."

"Good. You'll want to keep the dark aura around Bramblestar a secret for now. The whole Clan's worried enough as is." He said. "Is he the only cat you've seen with this aura?" Foxpaw hesitated for a second before replying with a nod.

"Y-Yes." Lelouch shook his head.

"You're lying. Foxpaw, who else have you seen with an aura like Bramblestar's?" He asked.

"N-Nightheart." He confessed, his father letting out a gasp of shock.

"W-What?" Lelouch looked down at his paws. "She isn't sick like Bramblestar…so it isn't related to health. Then…could it, no, that doesn't explain the light aura around Swiftfrost and Molewhisker."

"Father…I think it's because of what she did to the rogues." Foxpaw meowed. "I think my Geass' secondary effect allows me to sense a darkness inside of cats." Lelouch nodded.

"That would make sense. It must be because she still feels guilty about it." Lelouch stated. "Until the actual effect of your Geass becomes clear, keep anything about it to yourself." Foxpaw nodded. "Thank you." Before Lelouch left the den, he turned to face his son once more. "Foxpaw, don't try to keep things like this to yourself. I'd like to help relieve any stress that you have. You're my son, after all."

"R-Right. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, father." He apologized.

"It's alright. Whenever something about your Geass comes up, please don't hesitate to speak with me." He meowed before he left the den. Foxpaw let out a sigh before he curled himself back into his nest. _C.C., if you're watching over me, please speak with me again. I have to know more about my power and the role I have in saving the Clans._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

A quarter-moon passed ever since Bramblestar suddenly lost consciousness. The medicine cats had tried everything they could, but they still had no idea how to cure him. Asuna rested down outside of the den beside Alderheart, the two sharing a mouse. They could see how stressed Squirrelflight had been lately, having to lead the Clan while also worrying about her mate.

"Alderheart…what can we do? We've tried everything and your father still isn't better."

"I…I don't know." He replied. "Why has StarClan abandoned us, especially in this leaf-bare weather?" Alderheart sighed. "If he does lose a life…I don't even know what will happen?"

"He'll come back, right?" Asuna asked. The tom shook his head.

"The sickness may be too strong for him to recover from it…but even then, if StarClan doesn't wish to speak with us, there's no way he can be given his other life. All we can do now is hope that he gets better. Like you said, we've tried everything." Asuna could sense the defeat in his voice, but it wasn't unwarranted. Nothing they did was working in curing Bramblestar.

The scent of ShadowClan touched Asuna's nose and she looked towards the entrance to camp. She saw Hollytuft and Bumblestripe lead Tigerstar and Shadowpaw into camp. Curious, Asuna got to her paws and approached them. Tigerstar greeted the she-cat with a smile.

"Asuna, how have you been doing?" He asked.

"I've been well." She looked over at the two warriors. "I can take it from here, you two." Once they left, she looked over at Shadowpaw. "How's your training going, Shadowpaw?"

"Okay."

"Listen, Asuna, we need to speak with Bramblestar."

"Follow me. You'll need to speak with Squirrelflight." She meowed. Before they could ask why, Asuna walked over to the she-cat, Ivypool trying to get her to eat. "Squirrelflight, Tigerstar wants to speak with Bramblestar."

"You can't. He's out hunting at the moment." She meowed coldly, avoiding the ShadowClan leader's gaze. "I'll tell him your message when you get back."

"Very well…although, this is a strange one." He stated. "I know that Bramblestar's very sick and that you have no idea how to cure him." Squirrelflight's eyes widened in shock.

"How do you know that?" Ivypool questioned the ShadowClan leader.

"Shadowpaw told me." He meowed. "He said that he received a message from StarClan about Bramblestar. He also knows how to cure him."

"He does?" Asuna looked over at the apprentice. "Shadowpaw, please tell us!"

"W-Well…it's a bit odd." He began. "His illness is like a fire that needs to die out on its own. You need to take him out to the moor and build a den for him. The windier the area is, the better. He'll look like he's getting worse, but when he wakes up, he'll be as strong as he was before." Asuna looked at the tom in disbelief. _We're supposed to leave Bramblestar out there to die? How could this work? Then again—._

"This is ridiculous! Do you think I'd let my mate stay out there alone in the cold when he's already so ill?"

"What's going on?" Jayfeather asked, he and Alderheart joining the other cats.

"Shadowpaw says that we need to leave Bramblestar out in the cold to cure him." Ivypool told them.

"What? Do you have bees in your brain?" Jayfeather lashed out. "There's no way that will work! This has to be some plot to kill Bramblestar! It would be what Tigerstar wants."

"Jayfeather, he isn't like that at all." Asuna defended the ShadowClan leader.

"So you'll defend the cats telling us to kill our leader?" Squirrelflight questioned the cream she-cat, who shook her head.

"Only because I think it could work!" Squirrelflight's green gaze looked at her in shock. "Please, hear me out, Squirrelflight." Asuna begged. "When Puddleshine was sick, Alderheart and I gave him deathberries and cured him. Nothing we've done has helped Bramblestar at all, so maybe this will."

"I-I agree with Asuna." Alderheart meowed. "We're out of options, mother. Father hasn't gotten better at all, and I know Shadowpaw means well. I know that we have no evidence of this working like the deathberries did…but we have to try."

"You have to trust, Shadowpaw!" Foxpaw ran over to the group, the tom overhearing their conversation.

"This isn't exactly the place for an apprentice to speak!" Jayfeather snapped at the tom.

"I understand, but Shadowpaw's a trustworthy cat." He looked over at his cousin, who let out a small smile. "He'd never do anything to harm anyone."

"Foxpaw!" Suguha ran over to the group. "I'm sorry for letting him interrupt your conversation!" She apologized.

"It's alright, Suguha." Squirrelflight assured her before letting out a sigh. "Alderheart's right: we've tried everything, and nothing seems to be working. Shadowpaw, if what you said is true, we'll go along with it."

"Great. We really would just like to help. I know it's a weird way to cure him, but I have to trust Shadowpaw, especially if he's been given a message about another Clan's leader." Foxpaw looked over at the ShadowClan apprentice. _He really is a special cat…but at the same time, why would StarClan tell him about Bramblestar and not one of our own medicine cats?_

"Foxpaw?" The tom turned to face Ivypool. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm fine, mother." He meowed. "I apologize for running over here and interrupting the conversation. I know you and father raised me well, but…" Ivypool silenced the tom by giving him a lick to the ear.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. You spoke when you believed that you needed to. Your father is the same way, you know." Ivypool told him. "You're so mature for your age, Foxpaw. When the Clan needs you, I know you'll be ready."

"T-Thank you, mother. I'll do my best to protect our family, and the Clan." _Especially Nightheart._ "Do you think I can go out with them to help Bramblestar?"

"In this weather? I don't know…" Ivypool hesitated.

"I can go with him." Suguha offered. "Sorry! I know you both were having a mother-son conversation, but I overheard the last part."

"It's fine. Just make sure to take care of my little prince in this weather, Suguha." The tom blushed in embarrassment.

"Aw! Don't worry, he'll be safe with me." The black she-cat promised, pressing close to her apprentice.

"Thank you, Suguha." The she-cat meowed before the two made their way towards the entrance to camp. A familiar scent caught Foxpaw's nose, the tom walking through the thorn tunnel into the forest, his mentor following behind. Nearby, they saw Dovewing and Puddleshine.

"Oh, hi you two. What are you both doing here?" Suguha asked.

"We came with Tigerstar and Shadowpaw." Puddleshine meowed. "We didn't want to overwhelm your Clan by coming in with them, so we decided to stay out here for the time being."

"Is Bramblestar really sick like Shadowpaw says?" Dovewing asked, the two ThunderClan cats nodding. "That's terrible! Hopefully this works and helps him feel better. Squirrelflight did agree to go ahead with the treatment, right?"

"She did. Asuna and the others have tried everything, but nothing's been working." The black she-cat stated. "We're hoping that this cures him." The two heard pawsteps coming from the thorn tunnel and saw Tigerstar and Squirrelflight carrying Bramblestar, the medicine cats all following behind him.

"What are you both doing here?" Alderheart wondered.

"Foxpaw wanted to come along and help. It's not a problem, is it?"

"Well, we don't really need much help at all." Jayfeather meowed. "Why do you want to come out in this horrid weather, anyway, Foxpaw?"

"I…I wanted to speak with Shadowpaw." He meowed. Squirrelflight looked over at the tom.

"Is that all? You can wait until—." Tigerstar rose his tail.

"These two are cousins, but they're also special cats as well. We should let him come along." The ShadowClan leader stated. "Just try not to distract Shadowpaw too much when we get there, Foxpaw." The silver-and-black tabby nodded. "C'mon, the moor's this way." Tigerstar and Squirrelflight took the lead, the rest of the cats following behind them.

As the group made their way towards the moor, a cold gust of wind blew through the air, sending shivers through all of the cats.

"Why don't you and Shadowpaw start talking, Foxpaw. Don't let my fur freeze off for nothing!" The black she-cat joked.

"Suguha, why don't you change forms? Your fur's longer when you're Leafa, after all." The apprentice responded. Asuna looked over at the she-cat.

"He's got a point. Usually your black fur would absorb sunlight better, but I think for now, long fur is the way to go." Asuna added.

"I've been through a winter here before and I never even thought about that." Suguha swiped a paw down in front of her and in a few seconds, a bright light formed around her before fading, a light ginger she-cat with green eyes now standing where she was. "So much warmer…"

"Alderheart, look." Asuna nudged the tom, causing him to turn around. A sudden blush formed on his face when he saw Suguha. "I think you'll need to stay that way more often, Suguha."

"N-Not really!" Alderheart quickly assured her.

"Well, what do you prefer, Alderheart?" Suguha asked the tom. "I know you like me in one form over the other."

"Are we really talking about this right now?" The medicine cat asked, trying his best to evade the question.

"I just want to be pretty for you, Alderheart, that's all." Suguha teased, pressing close to the tom.

"F-Fine…" The tom let out a sigh. "I like when you're Suguha over Leafa. It feels less awkward liking you that way." He confessed, a strong blush on his face.

"There's our answer!" Asuna meowed with joy. "Sorry, I know we shouldn't be having fun with everything that's going on." She apologized.

"It's okay. Although most of this was embarrassing me, it felt good to forget about what going on with my father for a moment." Alderheart meowed. "Thanks, you two."

"He'll be better, Alderheart, I'm sure of it." Suguha assured him. "I know I may be a bit warmer now, but I still don't hear you toms talking!"

"O-Oh! Sorry, Suguha!" Shadowpaw quickly apologized. "I guess I should start by thanking you for vouching for me, Foxpaw."

"I had to. We're the only ones who can receive messages from cats, so we need to work together as much as we can." The silver-and-black tom meowed. "Have you had any other visions lately?"

"Other than the one about curing Bramblestar?" He asked, Foxpaw nodding. "Yes. The whole lake was on fire, and I'm sure it would've easily spread through the whole forest. It has to mean something bad…but I still have no idea about what the cause of it all is."

"I'm sure we'll have to figure it all out. It has to be connected to my Geass showing me that dark aura around Bramblestar."

"Right. Have you figured out what that does exactly?"

"Not yet. I haven't spoken with C.C. or Spottedleaf, but there's something else that happened recently with it."

"What?"

"When I looked at Molewhisker a few sunrises ago, there was a bright aura around him. I saw the same thing Swiftfrost as well."

"Really? Then they might be a part of our mission to help the Clans, don't you think?" Shadowpaw suggested. "Have you talked with them about it?"

"No. I've kept this power mostly to myself. The only ones who know about it are you, Suguha, and my father." He told him. "Until I learn more about it, I'd like to keep it that way. The only thing I've thought of is that it allows me to see the evil inside of cats."

"That sounds like it makes sense. Hopefully C.C. can clear everything up for you soon. I definitely know how it feels to have something that's still unclear to you." _Shadowpaw's right. I'll definitely feel a sense of ease once C.C. explains the second power that my Geass has._

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

The moon shone high in the night sky as Foxpaw sat with Suguha, Tigerstar, and Dovewing, the four still hoping for Shadowpaw's treatment to work. Squirrelflight had returned back to camp to resume her duties as temporary leader and said she'd return at dawn to see what had happened. They had been out in the cold for hours, and Bramblestar showed no signs of recovery.

"Do you think the treatment will work, Suguha?" Foxpaw asked his mentor. Dovewing and Tigerstar looked over at her, the light ginger she-cat nodding.

"Shadowpaw's gifted like you, Foxpaw. I know it's easy to doubt him with this sort of treatment, but I'm sure this will work." She told him.

"We didn't mean to pressure you into thinking that it worked or anything, Suguha." Dovewing meowed.

"Oh, no! I really think he's a special cat. Asuna's told me all about the visions he's had as a kit, so he obviously has some sort of connection with StarClan." Suguha saw Foxpaw let out a yawn. "Someone's getting a bit sleepy. My fur isn't a nest, but it'll keep you warm."

"A-Are you sure, Suguha?"

"Ivypool told me to take care of her little prince, remember? Besides, I can't really be your mentor if you're frozen solid." Tigerstar let out a small chuckle.

"We'll wake you up if something happens." The ShadowClan leader assured him. Foxpaw dipped his head in thanks and rested down on the snow, curling up close to Suguha, her light ginger fur warming him immediately when their coats touched. The tom's violet eyes slowly closed as sleep took over.

Foxpaw's violet eyes opened as he woke up, his surroundings no longer coated in snow. He glanced around and realized that he was dreaming, the moonlit area similar to the one he had been to when speaking with C.C. and Spottedleaf. The tom's nose twitched as a familiar scent caught it. _It's coming from the forest._ He realized as he began to take his first steps towards the forest at the edge of the clearing. As he walked deeper into the forest, he stumbled across a small clearing, C.C. sitting on a stump in the center of it. At the sound of the tom's pawsteps, she looked over at the tom.

"Hello, Foxpaw." She greeted him.

"Hello, C.C. Is there something you need to talk with me about?" She nodded.

"It's about your Geass' second ability." She began. "Like you and Lelouch guessed, it allows you to see the evil inside of cats, but it also appears when you see cats who are facing an internal struggle, like your sister." Foxpaw let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank StarClan that's the case. I was worried that she was evil…but doesn't that mean Bramblestar's evil?" C.C. shook her head.

"I don't think so. He's the leader of your Clan, after all. There has to be something else wrong with him." She stated. "I may have given you your Geass, Foxpaw, but even I don't know all of the stipulations of it."

"Isn't that a bit irresponsible of you?" The Twoleg let out a giggle.

"You're starting to sound like your father." She groomed the tom's fur, a small purr resonating in his throat. "Even though you cats hate humans, you all seem to enjoy being petted."

"S-Sorry about that." Foxpaw apologized. "C.C., do you know what the light aura that I've seen around Molewhisker and Swiftfrost is about?"

"Yes. It's related to Spottedleaf. You'll understand soon enough about what it means, Foxpaw. I promise that those two are in no danger. However…" Foxpaw noticed the worry in C.C.'s eyes.

"What is it?"

"I know what I said relieved you about Nightheart, but make no mistake that the dark aura shows you cats who are in some sort of danger, Foxpaw. I have no way to help with Bramblestar, but I've been trying my best to help your sister."

"Is she okay?" Fear filled the tom's meow. "Is there any way I can help her?"

"At the moment, no. She's been having infrequent nightmares about killing those three rogues. I've been talking to her, which seems to help a bit, but that burden still hasn't disappeared." C.C. explained.

"Well, I'm thankful that you're able to help her, C.C. I'm sure my father and mother feel the same way."

"It's the least I can do. I'm the one who bestowed the power of Geass to you and your older sister, so I should at least feel somewhat responsible if something happens to you both regarding your powers." She told him. "I'll try to speak with you as soon as possible if something new comes up, Foxpaw."

"Right. Thank you, C.C." Foxpaw watched as the Twoleg began to disappear from his view, the rest of his surroundings now fading away as his dream ended.

When Foxpaw awoke, he saw that he was now in the apprentice's den. _How long was I asleep?_ The tom wondered as he walked outside. He noticed that time seemed to stand still in the camp. No cat was moving, and a couple of cats, his mother included, were sitting beside Squirrelflight.

"Foxpaw, good morning." The silver-and-black tabby was greeted by his father.

"Father, what's happened?" Foxpaw asked. "Oh, did Shadowpaw's treatment work? Is Bramblestar okay?" Lelouch hesitated before he shook his head.

"Foxpaw…Bramblestar died." The tom's violet eyes widened in shock.

"What?! No, he has to still be okay! Shadowpaw would never try to kill him!" The apprentice insisted.

"I know…but this was a risky treatment. There was always only two possible outcomes to this: Bramblestar would be healed, or he'd die. Unfortunately, things didn't turn out like they did with Puddleshine."

"But, isn't he leader? He has nine lives, right?"

"Right, but without StarClan speaking to us, there's no way he can be brought back, at least that's what Alderheart told me." Lelouch meowed. "Foxpaw, when they bring his body back tonight, tell me if your Geass reacts like it has before when you see Bramblestar."

"Do you think it might activate again?" His father nodded.

"The first time it activated was it showing you the power the first time. The next time it activated, Bramblestar had fallen ill. If he's still alive, then the dark aura should appear around him."

"About that." Lelouch looked at his son. "C.C. spoke with me again while I was sleeping. She told me that we were right about my Geass. It senses an evil inside of cats, or cats who are facing an internal struggle within."

"So, Nightheart fits the second criteria…but does Bramblestar as well?" The black tom sat in thought. "He's never said anything…but could he be evil?"

"I told C.C. the same thing, but she wasn't sure either."

"We'll figure out soon enough, I'm sure." Lelouch meowed. "The camp is going to be still for the entire day, and we'll sit vigil tonight. You and Suguha don't need to train today." Foxpaw nodded and looked around camp for his mentor, but he saw no sign of her. He was going to ask his father where she was, but he had joined the others in consoling Squirrelflight.

"Hey, Foxpaw!" He turned around and saw that it was Kirito. He had been sitting by himself around camp. The tom approached the older warrior and sat down with him. "Were you looking for Sugu?" He nodded. "She went back to where they built the den for Bramblestar. She's comforting Alderheart."

"That's nice of her. Is Asuna still there as well?" The gray-eyed tom nodded. Foxpaw fidgeted with his paws a bit before looking at the tom. "Kirito?"

"What's up?"

"Do you think Shadowpaw's treatment was just a plan to kill Bramblestar?"

"Of course not! I know Tigerstar can seem mean sometimes, but I know he wouldn't make his own son lie about that just to have an advantage against ThunderClan. Besides, in terms of abilities that no cats have, we'd still be strong even without a leader. I'm sure Tigerstar knows that." He told him. "Still…knowing that Bramblestar is dead just sucks. Without StarClan or any other cats guiding everyone, there's really nothing else we could've done to save him except trust Shadowpaw." Foxpaw nodded in agreement. _Right. Spottedleaf and C.C. both told me that Shadowpaw and I would work together to save the Clans. Even if his treatment did kill Bramblestar, I still can't lose my trust in my cousin._


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_Night fell above the_ ThunderClan camp, every cat sitting vigil in the middle of the camp around Bramblestar's lifeless body. Cats all around began to reminisce about the leader's feats in his life, and how much he had meant to them.

"Bramblestar, no…my father, was one of the greatest cats I had ever known." Alderheart meowed. "He always cared for not only our Clan, but for the others as well. Whenever StarClan comes back to us…I hope that I'll get the chance to see him again." Alderheart wiped his eye with a paw, Suguha and Sparkpelt pressing close to the tom.

"I know the others and I aren't Clanborn, but Bramblestar took us in and gave us a place to stay…a place with a family I never thought I'd have in my entire life." Asuna said. "I'll forever be grateful for everything he did for me and all the other cats not from this world. I just…I wish that there was something I could've done with my powers to save him." Beside her, Jayfeather let out a breath.

"Bramblestar…he was—." The blind tom shook his head, his heart clearly broken by the ThunderClan leader's untimely death. He let out an annoyed growl and turned his blind gaze towards Squirrelflight. "Why'd you let Shadowpaw kill him?!" He asked the deputy in anger. "We have no leader now! Did your time in StarClan not teach you anything? You too!" He spat towards Foxpaw. "Just because he's your kin you believed in him and put your Clan in danger!"

"Don't you dare put any of the blame on his shoulders!" Lelouch retorted, placing his tail in front of his son. "This isn't Squirrelflight's fault, either. Nothing we were doing was working, and Shadowpaw believed that he had the cure for him."

"Of course that's all easy for you to say! Just because you were brought here to save the Clans and decided to stay with us doesn't make you Clanborn! You have no idea how the rest of us feel, and you never will!" Jayfeather hissed. "I'm sure you believed that Shadowpaw's cure would work, so you can add Bramblestar to the list of ThunderClan cats you've killed…" Lelouch's violet gazed widened in fury, the tom getting to his paws and quickly approaching the medicine cat.

"Lelouch!" Ivypool caught up to her mate and stepped in front of him. "This is supposed to be a peaceful vigil for Bramblestar. You know better than to be reckless."

"Do you want me to just sit there and let Jayfeather say things about me?" He asked.

"Yes! He's just distraught over Bramblestar's death, just like we all are." She meowed, keeping her voice to a whisper. "Don't listen to what he said. Just because you're not originally from ThunderClan doesn't mean you don't know how we're feeling. The same goes for Kirito, Asuna, and Suguha as well." The tom let out a breath.

"Sorry." He apologized before the two made their way back to where they were sitting. The Clan again fell silent for a few seconds before Nightheart let out a growl and stood up.

"How dare you speak to my father that way!" She spat.

"Nightheart, it's over. Sit down." Ivypool urged her daughter, who shook her head.

"No, mother! I can't let Jayfeather disrespect father and get away with it!" She stated, turning her attention towards the Clan as a whole. "Always moody or not, that doesn't give him the right to bring up the lives my father couldn't save when he first came here! My mother told me of the pain he went through knowing about the cats he was unable to protect. Despite not being Clanborn, he risked his life to help the Clans, so how can you be so rude to him?"

"Yeah! My dad is an amazing cat!" Swiftfrost stood up beside her sister. "Clanborn or not, I couldn't ask for a better father."

"Okay you two, that's enough." Lelouch meowed. The two sisters looked over at their father, who let out a small smile and nodded his head in thanks. "Squirrelflight, I apologize for everything that just transpired. Did you want to say anything?" The deputy nodded.

"My time in StarClan is my business alone. Lelouch is also right in saying that nothing that we were trying was working. I believed that Bramblestar was going to die, so when Shadowpaw and Tigerstar came to speak about the cure, I took the chance and hoped for the best. Bramblestar's death is no cat's fault, and the last thing he'd want is for us to place the blame somewhere when we were all trying to help him." She stated. "As acting leader for this Clan, I'll be the one making these choices for the time being. Hopefully once leaf-bare ends, StarClan will guide our Clan once more." Once Squirrelflight was finished talking, she rested back down, the Clan falling silent once again.

Asuna gave Jayfeather a hard shove with her shoulder, causing the tom to growl in annoyance. "You know what you said was wrong." She whispered over to the blind tom. "When this vigil is over, you're going to apologize to Lelouch for what you said."

"Just because Leafpool's gone doesn't mean that you've taken her place. You're not my mother, Asuna." He meowed before turning his attention away from her.

"You can be so stubborn! Why is it so hard to admit that what you did was wrong? I know that you lash out easily when you're angry or sad, but at least have control with what you say!" The tom still ignored her.

"Just let it go, Asuna. I'm sure he knows what he did wasn't right." Kirito told her. The tom glanced over at Bramblestar's body in the middle of the camp. "Still, I can't believe Bramblestar's gone. He still had lives left, but he's not able to come back to us because StarClan closed the Clans off. Do you think we'll need to find out why they're neglecting them all of a sudden?"

"I hope so…but then again, maybe we're not meant to. Our mission to help the Clans ended moons ago, and we're just staying here because we've found a way we could."

"Yeah, but maybe being able to find a way to stay here is a sign that we can help." The tom suggested. As Kirito continued to stare at the fallen leader, he saw his ear slightly twitch, causing his gray gaze to widen in shock. "Asuna…you saw that too, right?"

"What?"

"Bramblestar…I swear I saw his ear twitch." He told her. Asuna's hazel eyes began to glow and she looked at Bramblestar. She let out a gasp of shock.

"He's alive!" She exclaimed, getting the attention of the rest of the Clan.

"Asuna, don't be ridiculous." Jayfeather said. "He's dead, no matter what you say."

"Can you be positive at least for once in your life?" She saw the rest of the Clan looking down at the leader. "My body scan is telling me that he's alive, I promise. Kirito even said he saw his ear twitch!" The cats all noticed a sudden ripple course through the tom's body.

"What's going on?" Although it was a good sign, Alderheart was confused. They were sure Bramblestar was dead, but at the moment, it started to not seem that way. The dark tabby tom's eyes slowly opened and he looked around slowly before getting to his paws. The ThunderClan leader stretched his limbs out before he turned to face Squirrelflight. He padded over to her, the she-cat immediately pressing against him and letting out a loving purr.

"Greetings. I'm happy to be with you again." He simply meowed. Relief and joy filled the whole Clan when the leader was suddenly brought back to life.

"Now will you apologize to Lelouch?" Asuna asked the blind medicine cat. He let out a sigh.

"When I get the chance to, I will." He meowed. "How is he alive again? We were all sure he was dead. Did Shadowpaw's treatment really cure him?"

"What else could explain it?" She meowed. "Okay, your chance is now. C'mon, let's go."

"W-Wait! He's probably still gonna lash out at me or something."

"Is someone scared of Lelouch?" Kirito said with a humorous meow.

"Hey, you were scared when he regained his memory." Asuna reminded him. "I promise he won't hurt you, Jayfeather." Asuna led him to where Lelouch and the rest of his family was. Although Nightheart and Swiftfrost seemed hostile when they approached, their father didn't.

"You don't have to apologize for what you said if that's why you're here, Jayfeather." He meowed when he stood up. "Ivypool was right when she said you were just distraught over Bramblestar's supposed death."

"No, what I said still was wrong. I should never have brought up what happened during the battle with the Dark Forest, especially since you fought to avenge Hollyleaf." Jayfeather stated. "What I said about you not being Clanborn wasn't necessary, either." Asuna gave him a small shove. "What?"

"You still need to apologize to Ivypool, Nightheart, and Swiftfrost, but especially Foxpaw."

"R-Right." He let out a sigh and turned his blind gaze towards them. "I'm sorry for the insults I made towards Lelouch. He really does have a good family that cares about him very much." Jayfeather looked over at Foxpaw. "I'm sorry if I scared you, Foxpaw. I didn't think Shadowpaw's treatment had worked, but I was wrong. The trust you have for others is a good trait, but sometimes it can possibly lead you astray."

"I'll keep that in mind, Jayfeather. Thank you." The medicine cat let out a small smile before he and Asuna both walked over to Bramblestar to check over him. Foxpaw felt a tail touch his shoulder and saw that it was his father. From his stern violet gaze, he remembered his father's request. He looked over at Bramblestar, the Geass in his right eye suddenly activating like he father thought. The same dark aura around Bramblestar was present still, but this time it was more intense. He then noticed what appeared to be a cat made of shadows looming over him, its eyes a menacing red. _W-What is that?_

"Foxpaw, are you okay?" His Geass disappeared at the sound of his mother's voice. "Is this what Squirrelflight was talking about with your Geass?"

"He's okay, Ivypool. There's nothing to worry about." Lelouch assured her, the she-cat shaking her head.

"I'm still his mother. I know I said when it came to Geass to speak with him, but this time I saw it happen." The she-cat replied. "Are you actually okay, Foxpaw?"

"Y-Yes, mother." The apprentice assured her.

"What happened? Is something wrong with Foxpaw?" Nightheart asked, she and Swiftfrost joining the rest of their family. When he looked over at his sisters, again, his Geass activated.

"Lelouch, what's going on with him?" Ivypool asked, concern in her voice. "You promised that you wouldn't hide anything from me anymore."

"R-Right. I just…we can't share this with anyone else in camp. Understand?" Ivypool nodded, Nightheart and Swiftfrost doing the same. "Follow me." Lelouch walked towards a vacant area of camp to prevent any cat from overhearing them. When they were finally alone, Lelouch began. "It's about the secondary effect of Foxpaw's Geass."

"What is it, Foxpaw?" Nightheart wondered.

"C.C. told me that my Geass allows me to see the darkness inside of cats. Lately, I've been seeing a shadowy aura around Bramblestar, but just now it's been the most intense I've ever seen. T-There was even a dark shadow hanging over him."

"Our leader? Is he evil or something?" Swiftfrost asked, Foxpaw shaking his head.

"I don't think so. C.C. also says that it activates if a cat is facing some sort of internal struggle." He meowed. "I think maybe that could be what Bramblestar is facing."

"But it activated again when you looked at your sisters." Ivypool stated. "Is something wrong with them?" Foxpaw noticed Nightheart turn her violet gaze away from him. Foxpaw shook his head.

"Along with seeing the darkness around cats, I've seen a light aura around others. It appeared around Swiftfrost, but I also saw it around Molewhisker, too."

"You saw it around him?" Nightheart asked. "But he's in the medicine cat's den now."

"Who cares about that? He saw it around _me!_ This has to mean I'm going to be a hero just like dad and the others!" Swiftfrost meowed in joy. "You're not lying, are you?" Foxpaw shook his head. "Yes!"

"Swiftfrost, let's not make any assumptions about it. You can't go around telling any cat about this, remember?" Lelouch told her, the silver-and-white tabby nodding. "Good. Let's join the others before someone gets suspicious." As he was following the rest of his family, Foxpaw felt a tail touch his shoulder and saw that it was his older sister.

"Foxpaw…did you also see a shadow around me?" She asked. Foxpaw felt his chest grow heavy. He never wanted to tell Nightheart the truth, but after telling his family about his power, he couldn't keep it away from her.

"I-I did." He meowed. "I didn't want to tell you, Nightheart, especially since I know you're so kind. I…I couldn't believe it myself, and father couldn't either when I told him." He confessed. "It has to do with the rouges, right? C.C. told me that she's trying her best to help you." Nightheart nodded.

"When you said you Geass also activates when a cat is troubled inside, I had a feeling it may have done so when you looked at me. Still, I didn't expect you to say there was a light one as well. Was that a lie so mother and Swiftfrost wouldn't know about what I did?" The tom shook his head.

"The light aura is real. When I saw the aura around you, I also saw the light aura around Molewhisker. Maybe it means that he'll be the one to help you." Nightheart's violet gaze turned towards the medicine cat's den.

"That's not really possible if he's unconscious in the medicine cat's den." She said. "Still, maybe it means you'll be the one to help me, Foxpaw. I wouldn't expect less from my sweet little brother." Nightheart gave the tom a lick to the ear.

"I'll try my best to help you, Nightheart. I can't let you suffer from those nightmares any longer." _But…how can I help in the first place? Words alone won't work…so how do I stop my sister from suffering?_ He looked over at Bramblestar once again, his Geass revealing the dark aura and the shadowy figure once again. _The darkness around Bramblestar…and the shadowy cat above him...Could this mean that he's in more trouble than he was before?_

_/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_

_The island was filled _with cats for tonight's emergency Gathering. Bramblestar had called for the meeting immediately after he was brought back to life from StarClan. Swiftfrost sat down beside her brother, excitement still coursing through her from the news about the aura of light around her. _My warrior training with Kirito won't go to waste at all. I'll become a hero and make sure my family and ThunderClan is safe from whatever darkness is coming our way._

"Let the Gathering begin." Bramblestar announced, Swiftfrost's attention now on the Clan leaders. "I'm glad to see you all again. I called for this meeting to discuss what had happened to me, along with the messages Shadowpaw has been receiving from StarClan. Would anyone like to start?"

"I will." Harestar offered. "I'm quite impressed with what I've heard. The fact that your alive must mean that Shadowpaw indeed does have a special connection with StarClan, one that the Clans desperately need right now." The WindClan leader stated. Among the medicine cats, Kestrelflight stood up.

"Doesn't anyone else find this a bit strange? ShadowClan's the only Clan able to communicate with StarClan, and yet the majority of our past problems were due to them."

"Right. They even drove SkyClan away, despite StarClan's wishes for there to be five Clans around the lake." Mothwing added. "I'm not saying that we doubt Shadowpaw, but why would they make an apprentice go through so much already?" Murmurs of suspicion began amongst all the cats on the island. They all debated on whether Shadowpaw's messages could be trusted or not. Letting out a growl, Tigerstar stood up.

"Now's not the time for arguing! If you don't wish to believe my son, so be it. However, I believe his connection with StarClan means he has a bond stronger than any one of us, which is impressive considering his youth."

"Do you honestly believe that?" Frecklewish asked with a scoff.

"Of course. Bramblestar's among us again, right? That should be all the proof we need." He replied.

"There is really only one way to settle this." Jayfeather meowed. "Bramblestar, what happened when you were revived by StarClan? At this point, other than Shadowpaw, you're the only cat who's spoken to them."

"Right. I was in StarClan, I believe, and I did talk to them for a bit."

"What did they say?" Mistystar asked. The ThunderClan leader shook his head.

"Mistystar, you know as well as I do that the conversations we have between StarClan need to be private. I intend to keep it that way."

"Even with everything that's going on?" Leafstar asked.

"Yes!" Bramblestar retorted, clearly irritated by the questions the leaders were asking. "All that matters is that they brought me back, and why wouldn't they? I've always honored the warrior code." He let out a breath. "For now, Shadowpaw is our only connection to StarClan until the Moonpool thaws out." Cats all around agreed with the leader, although others were still wary about giving Shadowpaw the sole responsibility.

"We're all forgetting one crucial thing." Tree meowed, standing up from the group of SkyClan cats. "Medicine cats aren't the only ones who receive messages from StarClan. Warriors do as well, and don't cats from other worlds receive messages in a way similar to StarClan?"

"Right. I assure you that they'll let me know of any messages regarding the Clans." The ThunderClan leader assured them. "Now, we must discuss what the Clans' do next. Shadowpaw, have you been told anything else about the darkness within the Clans?"

"N-No, nothing else yet." The ShadowClan apprentice muttered. Bramblestar stared at the apprentice before looking out towards the crowd of cats.

"Does anyone have any suggestions on what the darkness could be?" Cats around the island began to talk amongst each other. They brought up the rogues and the Dark Forest, but both didn't seem plausible to everyone.

"Maybe it's talking about the warrior code?" Mosspelt, a RiverClan elder, meowed as she slowly stood up. "Back in my day, the warrior code was strictly followed, but today is a different story."

"Mosspelt brings up a good point." Bramblestar meowed. "Does anyone know of any cat who has broken the warrior code?" The island stayed silent for a few moments. The ThunderClan leader spoke again. "Does any cat know of another cat who has broken the warrior code? If you do, please name them now."

"What do you think you're doing?" Mistystar asked. "Making cats throw accusations around is the last thing any Clan needs right now!"

"I'm only doing what I believe will help bring our connection back with StarClan." He responded. "If this is the darkness that is inside our Clans, something has to be done."

"Right, but not in a way like this!" The RiverClan leader responded.

"Must I remind you of Shadowpaw's other vision of the lake of fire? Are we willing to let that happen if we don't purge this darkness soon enough?" Mistystar didn't object, the she-cat staying silent.

"I agree that we have been a bit lenient on the warrior code lately, so we'll need to enforce it better." Harestar stated.

"And this will stop the darkness from destroying the Clans?" Mistystar meowed. "So what do we do when we find cats breaking the warrior code? Punish them? Exile them? Will this appease StarClan?"

"We'll take this process one pawstep at a time." Bramblestar meowed. "For now, make sure that the warrior code is strictly followed in your Clans. We'll report anything at the next meeting. This Gathering is over."

"Breaking the warrior code? Do you think that's the cause of all of this?" Swiftfrost asked her brother, who shook his head.

"I think it's something worse."

"Really? Wait…what about the darkness you see!" Swiftfrost realized.

"Keep your voice down!" Her brother quickly meowed.

"Sorry! It just makes so much sense, Foxpaw!" She told him. "You said there was a darkness around Bramblestar, right? It also isn't the first time you've seen it."

"Right."

"You also said this time was the worst. A huge aura of darkness and an evil shadow looming over him." Again, Foxpaw nodded. "Do you think that…the Bramblestar up there isn't the leader we've gotten to know?" Foxpaw looked at her sister in shock.

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. I don't know how it happened, but you have to admit that the Bramblestar that was speaking sounded the same…but everything he said wasn't right." Swiftfrost took a glance over at the ThunderClan leader. "Starting a sort of hunt against cats who broke the warrior code? He would never do such a thing! Oh, and think about this: If he's the darkness, then obviously he'd want to try and avert the attention away from himself." Foxpaw began to pay close attention to his sister. Other cats would think she was being delusional, but she was always the smartest of them both ever since they were kits, and every connection she made was valid. "He kept talking about how he upheld the warrior code multiple times when he talked, and when Mosspelt brought up the warrior code, he immediately began asking about cats who had broken the warrior code."

"That all makes sense, Swiftfrost, but…who's possessing Bramblestar's body then?"

"Does the shadow you see above him show anything?"

"No, it's just a red-eyed evil shadow." He meowed. "We need to keep this to ourselves for the time being. What you said makes perfect sense, but not every cat in camp would react the same way. If they tell Bramblestar what we believe, there's no telling what he might do to us."

"Right. Do you think that…maybe I could tell dad?"

"About Bramblestar being possessed?" Swiftfrost jumped and saw that it was her father.

"Ah! D-Dad, don't that!" The silver-and-white tabby exclaimed. "Did you overhear what Foxpaw and I were talking about?"

"Partially. I definitely passed my intelligence onto you, Swiftfrost, that's more than obvious." The she-cat let out a proud smile. "I had the theory when I heard him talking as well. I've known Bramblestar for a while, and I know how he acts. When I remembered about the shadow Foxpaw described after Bramblestar was revived, I thought him being possessed wasn't too farfetched. The dark aura Foxpaw saw before all of this must have been Bramblestar trying to fight away whoever's in control of his body now, but he failed to do so."

"I didn't think about that last part…but now this has to be what has happened! It all makes sense!" Foxpaw meowed.

"We'll need to keep quiet about this. If 'Bramblestar' hears anything, we'll be in trouble." Lelouch stated. "Only talk about this when you're sure no cat is listening."

"Yes, father." The two siblings nodded in unison.

"Good. For now, act how you normally would around Bramblestar, and whatever he says, don't disobey him. The last thing we want is him to realize we know he's not our leader." The three regrouped with the rest of their Clan and made their way back to camp.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Swiftfrost's blue eyes slowly opened, the she-cat finding herself in a grassy meadow, the stars gleaming in the night sky above her. _Am I dreaming? Wait…does this mean I'm able to speak with StarClan?_ She wondered as she looked around.

"Swiftfrost, it's nice to meet you." The she-cat turned around and saw that it was an orange tabby she-cat with golden eyes, something Swiftfrost had never seen before.

"Oh, um…hi! Is this StarClan? Why am I able to speak with you if the medicine cats can't?" She wondered. "Wait, I want to guess who you are! Hmmm, let's see…"

"You may be as smart as your father, but you're way too carefree sometimes." The she-cat meowed. "I think we'd get along better than he and I ever did."

"You know my father?" The she-cat nodded. "So that must mean…this isn't StarClan." She gasped. "And you must be C.C.!"

"Correct."

"Wait…I thought you were supposed to be a Twoleg." C.C. nodded and swiped a paw down. In a few seconds, Swiftfrost watched as she was enveloped in a bright light. When it faded, she saw the green-haired Twoleg standing in front of her. "Green fur? I guess that would be weird for a cat to have."

"You're much more talkative than your brother and sister." C.C. said with a smile, now sitting on the grass across from her.

"Dad says that's one of my best traits, well, other than being as smart as he is sometimes." Swiftfrost said. "Does this mean that I'm getting a Geass power like my siblings?" C.C. shook her head, causing the she-cat to sigh.

"Just because you don't have Geass doesn't mean you're not special, Swiftfrost. I've brought you here because there is something that we need to discuss. It's in regards to Bramblestar."

"Then, shouldn't you be speaking with Foxpaw instead?"

"Just listen and you'll understand." C.C. stated. "I wasn't able to see it before, but now that it's occurred I'm certain that the darkness your brother is able to see around Bramblestar is due to him being possessed, just like you guessed."

"Do you know who's doing it to him?"

"Unfortunately, no. Regardless of who it may be, Bramblestar needs to be saved."

"But how? We can't just say it outright and have cats agree with us."

"Correct. Do you remember the aura around you and Molewhisker that Foxpaw had told you about?" She nodded.

"It means that we're going to be the heroes that help save the Clans, right?"

"Not quite. It will be you, but at the same time, it won't." C.C. told her. "Spottedleaf and I didn't want to tell Foxpaw that Bramblestar being possessed was a possibility unless we were confident. Now that it has happened, we have no idea how he'll act from now on."

"Okay…" Swiftfrost was confused. _What is she getting at?_

"I had spoken to Molewhisker about this, and he agreed to it since doing so will break the Geass causing him to forget about Nightheart. There isn't any benefit for you, but I was hoping that you'd agree to it, Swiftfrost."

"Well, can you at least tell me what it is then?" C.C. let out a small smile at the she-cat's eagerness.

"Very well. Now, listen closely."


End file.
